Biomarkers for epicardial adipose tissue

A method of promoting healthy levels of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in a subject, the method comprising:

• (a) determining a level of one or more lipid biomarkers in a sample from the subject, wherein the one or more lipid biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) phosphatidylcholine (PC) [16:1/16:1]
• (ii) diacylglycerol (DAG) [42:8]
• (iii) phosphatidylethanolamine-ether (PE-O) [32:5]
• (iv) phosphatidylcholine (PC) [18:0/22:5]
• (v) phosphatidylinositol (Pl) [18:0/16:1]
• (vi) phosphatidylglycerol (PG) [20:3/20:3]
• (vii) phosphatidylglycerol (PG) [22:5/18:1]
• (b) determining a level of EAT in the subject by comparing the level of the one or more lipid biomarkers in the sample to reference values;
• and
• (c) modulating the level of EAT by providing a change in diet, the change in diet comprising administering to the subject one or more nutritional products effective to prevent an increase in the EAT of the subject and/or promote a reduction in the EAT of the subject when the determined level of EAT in step (b) is above a threshold level of EAT predetermined in a general population,
• wherein the one or more nutritional products comprise at least one low fat food product effective to prevent an increase in EAT and/or promote a reduction in the EAT of the subject, and
• the at least one low fat food product is selected from the group consisting of wholemeal flour and bread, porridge oats, high-fibre breakfast cereals, wholegrain rice and pasta, vegetables, fruit, dried beans, lentils, baked potatoes, dried fruit, walnuts, white fish, herring, mackerel, sardines, kippers, pilchards, salmon and lean white meat.