Exploring the association between whole blood Omega-3 Index, DHA, EPA, DHA, AA and n-6 DPA, and depression and self-esteem in adolescents of lower general secondary education

• Published in: European journal of nutrition 2019-06, Vol.58 (4), p.1429-1439
• Main Authors: van der Wurff, I. S. M., von Schacky, C., Bergeland, T., Leontjevas, R., Zeegers, M. P., Kirschner, P. A., de Groot, R. H. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Animals; Arachidonic acid; Arachidonic Acid - administration & dosage; Arachidonic Acid - blood; Baby foods; Bayesian analysis; Blood; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder - blood; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; docosapentaenoic acid; Double-Blind Method; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; epidemiological studies; Epidemiology; Euphausiacea; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - blood; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - blood; Female; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; Fish Oils - blood; Humans; krill; long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; Male; Mental depression; Nutrition; oils; Original Contribution; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Regression analysis; Secondary education; Self Concept; Self esteem; Supplements; Teenagers
• ISSN: 1436-6207; 1436-6215
• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-018-1667-4

Purpose Depression is common in adolescents and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are suggested to be associated with depression. However, research in adolescents is limited. Furthermore, self-esteem has never been studied in relation to LCPUFA. The objective here was to determine associations of depression and self-esteem with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Omega-3 Index (O3I), n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (n-6 DPA, also called Osbond acid, ObA), n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and arachidonic acid (AA) concentrations in blood of adolescents attending lower general secondary education (LGSE). Methods Baseline cross-sectional data from a krill oil supplementation trial in adolescents attending LGSE with an O3I ≤ 5% were analysed using regression models built with the BayesFactor package in R. Fatty acids and O3I were determined in blood. Participants filled out the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSE). Results Scores indicative of depression (CES-D ≥ 16) were found in 29.4% of the respondents. Of all fatty acids, we found extreme evidence [Bayes factor (BF) > 100] for a weak negative association between ObA and depression score [− 0.16; 95% credible interval (CI) − 0.28 to − 0.04; BF 10  = 245], and substantial evidence for a weak positive association between ObA and self-esteem score (0.09; 95% CI, − 0.03 to 0.20; BF 10  = 4). When all fatty acids were put in one model as predictors of CES-D or RSE, all of the 95% CI contained 0, i.e., no significant association. Conclusion No evidence was found for associations of DHA, EPA and O3I with depression or self-esteem scores in LGSE adolescents with O3I ≤ 5%. The associations of higher ObA status with lower depression and higher self-esteem scores warrant more research.