Dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids of marine origin and serum C-reactive protein concentrations are associated in a population with a diet rich in marine products.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have reported that the intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or fish is inversely associated with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, but few studies have evaluated the relations between serum CRP concentrations and consumption of n-3 PUFAs derived from marine products in populations with a diet rich in marine products. Therefore, it is still unclear whether a greater consumption of n-3 PUFAs is associated with lower serum CRP concentrations.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the relations between n-3 PUFA intake and serum CRP concentration in the Japanese, who have a diet rich in marine products.


METHODS
We designed a cross-sectional survey of 401 men and 570 women aged > or =70 y who were living in Japan. CRP concentrations were measured, and subjects whose serum CRP concentrations were > or =10.0 mg/L were excluded. Dietary intake was assessed with a self-administered diet-history questionnaire.


RESULTS
After adjustment for several predictors of inflammation, the odds ratio of high CRP (> or =1.0 mg/L) for increasing quartiles of total n-3 PUFA and eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid were 1.0, 0.72, 0.57, and 0.44 (P for trend = 0.01) and 1.0, 0.91, 0.76, and 0.54 (P for trend = 0.03), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Greater intake of n-3 PUFAs derived from marine products, as measured with a self-administered questionnaire, was independently related to a lower prevalence of high CRP concentrations in this older Japanese population with a diet rich in marine products. Our findings suggest that even very high intakes of n-3 PUFAs may lower serum CRP concentrations.
Niu
Kaijun
K
Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. ggg@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Hozawa
Atsushi
A
Kuriyama
Shinichi
S
Ohmori-Matsuda
Kaori
K
Shimazu
Taichi
T
Nakaya
Naoki
N
Fujita
Kazuki
K
Tsuji
Ichiro
I
Nagatomi
Ryoichi
R
D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017747:Seafood
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid