Very high concentrations of n-3 fatty acids in peri- and postmenopausal Inuit women from Greenland.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to examine the profile of relative concentrations in plasma phospholipids of n-3 fatty acids among peri- and postmenopausal Inuit women living in Greenland and to verify their relationships with ischemic heart disease risk factors and more particularly, with concentrations of plasma triacylglycerols.


METHODS
This study was part of a survey conducted in 2000, which aimed to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and the associated risk factors among peri- and postmenopausal Greenland Inuit women.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 153 women aged 49-69 years (mean +/- SD: 55.3 +/- 4.4 y) randomly selected. Data were obtained through an interview (questionnaire on lifestyle habits, medical history etc) and a clinical session (physiologic and anthropologic measurements). Plasma samples were used to measure the fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids.


RESULTS
The mean body mass index of women was 27.9 +/- 6.1. Seventy-five percent were smokers and 9% were currently on hormone replacement therapy. Relative concentrations of total n-3 fatty acids were very high (13.8%, 95% CI: 13.1-14.6), with docosahexanoic and eicosapentanoic acids accounting for 4.7% and 7.2%, respectively. The ratio of n-3:n-6 fatty acids was 0.67. n-3 fatty acids were inversely correlated to triacylglycerols.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that peri- and post-menopausal Greenland Inuit women have very high plasma concentrations of n-3 fatty acids that protect them from ischemic heart disease.
Côté
S
S
Public Health Research Unit, CHUL Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Ste-Foy, Canada.
Dodin
S
S
Blanchet
C
C
Mulvad
G
G
Pedersen
H S
HS
Blanchet
C
C
Holub
B J
BJ
Dewailly
E
E
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause; D017698:Postmenopause
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3