TY - JOUR
T1 - Total Long-Chain n-3 Fatty Acid Intake and Food Sources in the United States Compared to Recommended Intakes
T2 - NHANES 2003–2008
AU - Richter, Chesney K.
AU - Bowen, Kate J.
AU - Mozaffarian, Dariush
AU - Kris-Etherton, Penny M.
AU - Skulas-Ray, Ann C.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Heather M. Alger and the Pew Charitable Trusts, as well as Barbara J. Petersen at Exponent Inc. for conducting the assessment of dietary intake and supplement use. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors. All authors take responsibility for the manuscript’s final content. DM reports honoraria or consulting from Astra Zeneca, Acasti Pharma, GOED, DSM, Haas Avocado Board, Nutrition Impact, Pollock Communications, and Boston Heart Diagnostics; scientific advisory board, Omada Health and Elysium Health; chapter royalties from UpToDate; and research funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Gates Foundation. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. PMKE reports research funding from the California Walnut Commission and serves without compensation on the scientific advisory board for the California Walnut Commission and the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.
Funding Information:
Conflict of Interest The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors. All authors take responsibility for the manuscript’s final content. DM reports honoraria or consulting from Astra Zeneca, Acasti Pharma, GOED, DSM, Haas Avocado Board, Nutrition Impact, Pollock Communications, and Boston Heart Diagnostics; scientific advisory board, Omada Health and Elysium Health; chapter royalties from UpToDate; and research funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Gates Foundation. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. PMKE reports research funding from the California Walnut Commission and serves without compensation on the scientific advisory board for the California Walnut Commission and the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, AOCS.
PY - 2017/11/1
Y1 - 2017/11/1
N2 - The American Heart Association recommends consuming fish (particularly oily fish) at least two times per week, which would provide ≈ 0.5 g/day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Previous analyses indicate that this recommendation is not being met; however, few studies have assessed different ethnicities, subpopulations requiring additional n-3 fatty acid intake (i.e., children and pregnant and/or lactating women), or deciles of intake. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2008 was used to assess n-3 fatty acid intake from foods and supplements in the US population, according to age, sex, and ethnicity. A unique “EPA equivalents” factor, which accounts for potential conversion of shorter-chain n-3 fatty acids, was used to calculate total long-chain n-3 fatty acid intake. Data are reported for 24,621 individuals. More than 90% consumed less than the recommended 0.5 g/day from food sources (median = 0.11 g/day; mean = 0.17 g/day). Among the top 15% of n-3 fatty acid consumers, fish was the largest dietary contributor (71.2%). Intake was highest in men aged 20 years or more, and lowest in children and women who are or may become pregnant and/or are lactating. Among ethnicities, intake was lowest in Mexican-Americans. Only 6.2% of the total population reported n-3 fatty acid supplement use, and this did not alter median daily intake. Additional strategies are needed to increase awareness of health benefits (particularly among Mexican-Americans and women of childbearing age) and promote consumption of oily fish or alternative dietary sources to meet current recommendations.
AB - The American Heart Association recommends consuming fish (particularly oily fish) at least two times per week, which would provide ≈ 0.5 g/day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Previous analyses indicate that this recommendation is not being met; however, few studies have assessed different ethnicities, subpopulations requiring additional n-3 fatty acid intake (i.e., children and pregnant and/or lactating women), or deciles of intake. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2008 was used to assess n-3 fatty acid intake from foods and supplements in the US population, according to age, sex, and ethnicity. A unique “EPA equivalents” factor, which accounts for potential conversion of shorter-chain n-3 fatty acids, was used to calculate total long-chain n-3 fatty acid intake. Data are reported for 24,621 individuals. More than 90% consumed less than the recommended 0.5 g/day from food sources (median = 0.11 g/day; mean = 0.17 g/day). Among the top 15% of n-3 fatty acid consumers, fish was the largest dietary contributor (71.2%). Intake was highest in men aged 20 years or more, and lowest in children and women who are or may become pregnant and/or are lactating. Among ethnicities, intake was lowest in Mexican-Americans. Only 6.2% of the total population reported n-3 fatty acid supplement use, and this did not alter median daily intake. Additional strategies are needed to increase awareness of health benefits (particularly among Mexican-Americans and women of childbearing age) and promote consumption of oily fish or alternative dietary sources to meet current recommendations.
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U2 - 10.1007/s11745-017-4297-3
DO - 10.1007/s11745-017-4297-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 28956299
AN - SCOPUS:85030129698
SN - 0024-4201
VL - 52
SP - 917
EP - 927
JO - Lipids
JF - Lipids
IS - 11
ER -
