The omega-3 index, which is a direct measure of erythrocyte EPA + DHA as a percentage of total fatty acids, has been proposed as a risk biomarker for cardiovascular disease ( 10). Tissue HUFAs, in turn, have been shown to affect multiple disease states ( 3– 7) ranging from psychiatric ( 8, 9) and cardiovascular disease ( 10) to neurodevelopmental deficits ( 11). It has been suggested that n−3 fatty acids have become less abundant in American diets, and the average ratio of n−6 to n−3 fatty acids has increased from as little as 1:1 to as much as 30:1 ( 1).ĭietary intakes of n−3 and n−6 fatty acids are critical determinates of the proportions of bioactive 20- and 22-carbon n−6 and n−3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in tissue phospholipids ( 2). There has been much speculation about changes in the consumption of essential fatty acids throughout the 20th century however, to our knowledge, detailed quantitative analyses have not been reported. Predicted net effects of these dietary changes included declines in tissue n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid status (36.81%, 1909-T 31.28%, 1909-C 22.95%, 1999) and declines in the estimated omega-3 index (8.28, 1909-T 6.51, 1909-C 3.84, 1999).Ĭonclusion: The apparent increased consumption of LA, which was primarily from soybean oil, has likely decreased tissue concentrations of EPA and DHA during the 20th century. The 1909-T but not the 1909-C data showed substantial declines in dietary availability (percentage of energy) of n−6 arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The ratio of LA to ALA increased from 6.4 in 1909 to 10.0 in 1999. By using 1909-T modeling, LA was 2.23% of energy, and ALA was 0.35% of energy. The availability of linoleic acid (LA) increased from 2.79% to 7.21% of energy ( P < 0.000001), whereas the availability of α-linolenic acid (ALA) increased from 0.39% to 0.72% of energy by using 1909-C modeling. Results: The estimated per capita consumption of soybean oil increased >1000-fold from 1909 to 1999. Nutrient compositions for 1909 were modeled by using current foods (1909-C) and foods produced by traditional early 20th century practices (1909-T). Objective: We sought to quantify changes in the apparent consumption of essential fatty acids in the United States from 1909 to 1999.ĭesign: We calculated the estimated per capita consumption of food commodities and availability of essential fatty acids from 373 food commodities by using economic disappearance data for each year from 1909 to 1999. Background: The consumption of omega-3 (n–3) and omega-6 (n–6) essential fatty acids in Western diets is thought to have changed markedly during the 20th century.
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