Serum fatty acid composition predicts the long-term development of the metabolic syndrome.7 Insulin resistance and insulin-resistant states are often associated with the serum fatty acid pattern, characterized by an increased proportion of palmitic and a low proportion of LAs, with a distribution of other fatty acids indicating an increased activity of Δ9 and Δ6 desaturase and decreased Δ5 desaturase activity.8 This corroborates the concept that there may be a causal relationship between the type of fat in the diet and insulin action.2 The gene discussed is INS; the disease is metabolic syndrome.