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Low Omega‐3 Fatty Acid Status Found in Wellness Screening Participants
Author(s) -
Bird Julia K,
Salem Norman,
YurkoMauro Karin,
Marshall Keri,
McBurney Michael I
Publication year - 2017
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.31.1_supplement.146.7
Subject(s) - medicine , demographics , fatty acid , food frequency questionnaire , family medicine , food science , environmental health , demography , chemistry , biochemistry , sociology
OBJECTIVE 96% of Americans nationally have a sub‐optimal omega‐3 status. The objective of this study was to determine the omega‐3 index and its relationship to diet and dietary supplement use in by volunteers participating in the Healthyroads™ biometrics wellness screening administered at their work site by their employer. METHODS 636 employees at 16 DSM worksites in the United States consented to have whole blood, finger stick fatty acid testing as part of their Healthyroads™ wellness biometrics screening, and a second omega‐3 test was offered 3 months later. The research protocol was designed in accordance with the Principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the New England IRB (#20160533) before subjects underwent any study‐related procedures. Basic demographics, a validated food frequency questionnaire, and a whole blood sample were collected at baseline and follow‐up. Blood samples were shipped to OmegaQuant LLC for fatty acid analysis and questionnaires for data collation and anonymization. Data were analyzed with SAS version 9.3. At the time of abstract submission, 7 sites and 135 participants had completed a second testing. RESULTS 40% (N=252) of participants were female, and 25% (N=161) reported use of dietary supplements containing omega‐3 fatty acids. Participants reported mean intakes of 244±206 (±SD) mg/d EPA+DHA from foods and 183±454 mg/d EPA+DHA from supplements. Mean omega‐3 index (% EPA+DPA+DHA of total fatty acid concentration) was 4.9±0.2%; 29% had an omega‐3 index below 4%, 67% had an insufficient status (4% to 8%) and 3.6% had an adequate status (8% and above). Dietary supplement users' EPA+DHA intakes from food were higher (267±207 mg/d) than dietary supplement non‐users (236±205 mg/d), but this was not statistically significant. Total EPA+DHA intake were significantly higher in dietary supplement users (989±694 mg/d vs 236±205 mg/d, p<0.001). Males had a significantly lower omega‐3 index (4.7±0.1%) than females (5.0±0.1%, p<0.01). Dietary supplement users had a significantly higher omega‐3 index (6.0±0.2%) than non‐users (4.5%±0.1, p<0.001). There was a significant, positive relationship between total EPA+DHA intake and omega‐3 index (β=0.0013, intercept=4.3, p<0.001). For 135 individuals with a follow‐up visit, omega‐3 index was 5.2±0.2%, significantly higher than at baseline (mean increase 0.2%, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Less than 5% of employees participating in the Healthyroads™ biometrics wellness screening had an adequate omega‐3 index (>8%). Both regular consumption of fatty fish and use of omega‐3 dietary supplements were associated with higher whole blood concentrations of EPA+DHA. Preliminary findings from a limited number of sites finds that participants who elected to undergo a follow‐up omega‐3 test, after receiving the results from their first test, had taken action to increase their omega‐3 index.