Validation of a Dietary Questionnaire to Screen Omega-3 Fatty Acids Levels in Healthy Adults

Abstract

To facilitate a clinical observational study to identify healthy volunteers with low (defined as ≤4%) and high (defined as ≥5.5%) omega-3 indices, a dietary questionnaire to rapidly assess habitual dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was developed. This study aimed to determine the validity of this newly developed dietary questionnaire. One hundred and eight volunteers were included and were assessed for habitual dietary intake of EPA and DHA using the questionnaire. The United States Department of Agriculture food products database and nutrition fact label was referenced for calculation. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of fatty acids in whole blood specimens and to derive omega-3 indices. A linear correlation was observed between reported dietary consumption of EPA, DHA, EPA+DHA and the whole blood levels of EPA, DHA, and the omega-3 indices (r = 0.67, 0.62, 0.67, respectively, p < 0.001 for all). The findings also suggested that the questionnaire was substantially better at identifying volunteers with high omega-3 indices (sensitivity 89%, specificity 84%, and agreement 86%) compared to volunteers with low omega-3 indices (sensitivity 100%, specificity 66%, and agreement 42%). In conclusion, this newly developed questionnaire is an efficient tool for the assessment of omega-3 indices in study populations and is particularly effective in identifying individuals with high omega-3 indices.

Effects of Mediterranean Diet or Low-Fat Diet on Blood Fatty Acids in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease. A Randomized Intervention Study

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Omega-3 fatty acids attenuate cardiovascular effects of short-term exposure to ambient air pollution

“…Eligible participants were further screened and enrolled into low or high omega-3 PUFA groups meeting one of the following criteria: 1) As described previously [ 38 ], an inhouse open-ended dietary questionnaire was used to screen participants whose EPA + DHA intake was less than 0.5 g/week (low) or at least 3 g/week (high) for 6 months or longer; 2) Omega-3 index (OmegaQuant, Sioux Falls, SD), a measurement of EPA and DHA in erythrocyte membrane, was employed to screen participants whose omega-3 index was less than 4.0% (low) or at least 5.5% (high).…”

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: moving towards precision use for prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer

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