Over Half of the United States Population Had an Undesirably Low Omega-3 Index Based on Erythrocyte Membrane Measurements: Results From the Cross-Sectional NHANES From August 2021 to August 2023
Abstract
The omega-3 index (O3I; defined as the sum of red blood cell concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) is strongly correlated with the risk for sudden cardiac death. We aimed to provide nationally representative data on the prevalence of undesirable (8%) O3I categories in the United States population aged ≥6 y and to determine associations with selected sociodemographic, lifestyle, intake, and health variables among adults. Fifty-four percent of United States persons aged ≥6 y (n = 7213) had an undesirable O3I; the mean O3I was 4.12%, and it increased with age. Among adults ≥20 y (n = 5721), the O3I was higher in females, non-Hispanic Asians, persons above the poverty line, those with education beyond high school, nonsmokers, PUFA supplement users, cholesterol-lowering drug users, and persons with a healthy weight or certain heart health conditions. These first data demonstrate that the United States population falls short of dietary recommendations required to achieve an optimal O3I.
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Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health. Reported size: 7,213 participants or records.
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