Abstract Dietary and endogenous fatty acids could play a role in low-grade inflammation. In this cross-sectional study the proportions of erythrocyte membrane fatty acids (EMFA) and the concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and adiponectin were measured and their confounder-adjusted associations examined in 1373 randomly selected Finnish men aged 45–70 years participating in the population based Metsim study in Eastern Finland. The sum of n −6 EMFAs, without linoleic acid (LA), was positively associated with concentrations of CRP and IL-1Ra ( rpartial =0.139 and rpartial =0.115, P <0.001). These associations were especially strong among lean men (waist circumference <94 cm; rpartial =0.156 and rpartial =0.189, P <0.001). Total n −3 EMFAs correlated inversely with concentrations of CRP ( rpartial =−0.098, P <0.001). Palmitoleic acid (16:1 n −7) correlated positively with CRP ( rpartial =0.096, P <0.001). Cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 n −7) was associated with high concentrations of adiponectin ( rpartial =0.139, P <0.001). In conclusion, n −6 EMFAs, except for LA, correlated positively with the inflammatory markers. Palmitoleic acid was associated with CRP, whereas, interestingly, its elongation product, cis-vaccenic acid, associated with anti-inflammatory adiponectin.