Abstract
BackgroundIntakes of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FA) are associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to verify whether intakes of n-3 FA estimated from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) correlate with n-3 FA levels measured in plasma phospholipids (PL).MethodsThe study sample consisted of 200 French-Canadians men and women aged between 18 to 55 years. Dietary data were collected using a validated FFQ. Fasting blood samples were collected and the plasma PL FA profile was measured by gas chromatography.ResultsLow intakes of n-3 long-chain FA together with low percentages of n-3 long-chain FA in plasma PL were found in French-Canadian population. Daily intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were similar between men and women. Yet, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and total n-3 FA intakes were significantly higher in men compared to women (ALA: 2.28 g and 1.69 g, p < 0.0001, total n-3 FA: 2.57 g and 1.99 g, p < 0.0001; respectively). In plasma PL, DPA and DHA percentages were significantly different between men and women (DPA: 1.03% and 0.88%, p < 0.0001, DHA: 3.00% and 3.43%, p = 0.0005; respectively). Moreover, DHA (men: r = 0.52, p < 0.0001; women: r = 0.57, p < 0.0001) and total n-3 FA (men: r = 0.47, p < 0.0001; women: r = 0.52, p < 0.0001) intakes were positively correlated to their respective plasma PL FA levels. In women, EPA (r = 0.44, p < 0.0001) and DPA (r = 0.23, p = 0.02) intakes were also correlated respectively with EPA and DPA plasma PL FA percentages.ConclusionEstimated n-3 long-chain FA intake among this young and well-educated French-Canadian population is lower than the recommendations. Further, FFQ data is comparable to plasma PL results to estimate DHA and total n-3 FA status in healthy individuals as well as to evaluate the EPA and DPA status in women. Overall, this FFQ could be used as a simple, low-cost tool in future studies to rank n-3 FA status of individuals.
Highlights
Intakes of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FA) are associated with numerous health benefits [1]
N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) help to modulate factors contributing to the metabolic syndrome characterised by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension [2,3,4]. n-3 PUFA are known to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease risk [5,6,7,8] and favourable effects on symptoms of depression [9], weight status [10], postprandial satiety [11], insulin resistance [12] and inflammatory diseases [13]
A validity study was conducted in Australia for a non-specific food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) using plasma PL [32]
Summary
Intakes of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FA) are associated with numerous health benefits [1]. Numerous food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) have previously been developed to estimate FA intake. The current FFQ was previously validated with a threeday food record that demonstrated significant correlation coefficients for eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5; EPA) (r = 0.33, p ≤ 0.01) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6; DHA) (r = 0.30, p ≤ 0.01) in French-Canadian women [16]. Intakes of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FA) are associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to verify whether intakes of n-3 FA estimated from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) correlate with n-3 FA levels measured in plasma phospholipids (PL)
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