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Dietary Intake of Omega‐3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Women of Childbearing Age in the United States
Author(s) -
Johnson Jennifer,
Ramakrishnan Usha
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1009-b
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , polyunsaturated fatty acid , eicosapentaenoic acid , medicine , pregnancy , national health and nutrition examination survey , physiology , fatty acid , environmental health , chemistry , biology , population , biochemistry , genetics
Recent studies have shown the importance of Omega‐3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), on proper brain development. Using data collected by 24‐hour recall in the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we examined polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intakes of American women of childbearing age (12–49 y, n=2566). Mean ω‐3 PUFA intake was 0.62% and 1.93% of total energy and fat intake, respectively. Although mean ω‐3 intake (1.41 g/d) was above the current recommended Adequate Intake (1.1 g/d), DHA + EPA intake (0.10 g/d) was significantly lower than recommended (0.6 g/d). Similarly, the mean ω‐6:ω‐3 ratio was also very high (9.3:1) when compared to the current recommendation of 3:1 for optimum fetal brain development. Caucasian and Hispanic women's DHA + EPA intake was lower than African American and ‘Other’ women (p<0.001). In all women, DHA + EPA intakes increased concurrently with age, education and number of foods consumed in a day (p<0.0001). The ω‐6:ω‐3 ratio was also negatively associated with household income (p=0.05). Since much of the DHA necessary for fetal brain development is mobilized from maternal fat stores of DHA and EPA in the latter part of pregnancy, all American women of childbearing age should be encouraged to increase their dietary intake of DHA + EPA with special emphasis placed on increasing intake in younger, less educated Caucasian and Hispanic women. (Supported by NIH HD 043099‐01A2)