Figure 1.

Population-based Differences in Plasma Fatty Acid Concentrations. Trait distribution differences between African American (N = 174) and European American (N = 155) individuals from the GeneSTAR study showing distributions in age- and gender-adjusted ω6 PUFAs (LA, GLA, DGLA and AA) and FADS1 enzymatic efficiency (AA/DGLA). Each sample is represented by a single dot in blue for African Americans and red for European Americans. Sample means and confidence interval for the sample mean are presented as the horizontal black line and surrounding green box, respectively. Genes known to play a pivotal role in the desaturation and elongation step in the metabolism of AA are illustrated. Individual PUFAs were expressed as percent of total fatty acids in a sample, and the ratio of AA mass/DGLA mass was calculated as a measure of FADS1 enzymatic efficiency.