Dietary intake and adipose tissue content of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and subsequent 5-y change in body weight and waist circumference

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2017-05, Vol.105 (5), p.1148-1157
• Main Authors: Jakobsen, Marianne U, Madsen, Lise, Skjøth, Flemming, Berentzen, Tina L, Halkjær, Jytte, Tjønneland, Anne, Schmidt, Erik B, Sørensen, Thorkild Ia, Kristiansen, Karsten, Overvad, Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Anthropometry; Body fat; Body weight; Body Weight - drug effects; Cancer; Carbohydrates; Chains; Chromatography; Cohort Studies; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary Fats; Dietary intake; Docosahexaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Energy Intake; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food; Gas chromatography; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Nutritional Status; Obesity - metabolism; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Regression analysis; Tissues; Waist Circumference - drug effects; Weight
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.116.140079

Adding long-chain n-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to a rodent diet reduces fat mass and prevents the development of obesity, but evidence of a similar effect in humans is rather limited. We investigated the associations between dietary intake and adipose tissue content of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and subsequent 5-y change in body weight and waist circumference in humans. Effect modification by the carbohydrate:protein ratio and glycemic index was also investigated. A total of 29,152 participants included in the Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort were followed. Dietary intake was assessed with the use of a validated 192-item semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Adipose tissue content of fatty acids was determined by gas chromatography in a random sample of the cohort ( = 1660). Anthropometric measurements were taken at baseline and 5 y later. Associations were investigated with the use of a linear regression model. For high (1.22 g/d) compared with low (0.28 g/d) total n-3 PUFA intake, the difference in 5-y weight change was 147.6 g (95% CI: -42.3, 337.5 g); -trend = 0.088. No associations between the individual n-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid were observed. Intake of n-3 PUFAs was not associated with a 5-y change in waist circumference. For high (0.16%) compared with low (0.06%) adipose tissue content of EPA, the difference in 5-y weight change was -649.6 g (95% CI: -1254.2, -44.9 g); -trend = 0.027. No associations between total n-3 PUFA, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid and 5-y weight change were observed. Adipose tissue content of n-3 PUFAs was not associated with 5-y change in waist circumference. No effect modification by carbohydrate:protein ratio or glycemic index was found. Dietary intake and adipose tissue content of long-chain n-3 PUFAs were neither consistently nor appreciably associated with change in body weight or waist circumference.