Long chain omega-3 fatty acids intake, fish consumption and mental disorders in the SUN cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Very long chain omega-3 fatty acids (w-3 PUFA) intake and fish consumption have been suggested as protective factors against neuropsychiatric disorders but there is scarcity of large cohort studies assessing this association.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between w-3-PUFA intake and fish consumption and mental disorders.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study was performed in 7,903 participants. W-3 PUFA intake and fish consumption were ascertained through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The outcomes after 2 years of follow-up were: (1) Incident mental disorder (depression, anxiety, or stress), (2) incident depression, and (3) incident anxiety. Logistic regression models and generalized additive models were fit to assess the relationship between w-3 PUFA intake or fish consumption and the incidence of these outcomes. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.


RESULTS
173 cases of depression, 335 cases of anxiety, and 4 cases of stress were observed during 2-year follow-up. ORs (95% CI) of mental disorder for successive quintiles of energy-adjusted w-3 PUFA intake were 1 (reference), 0.72 (0.52-0.99), 0.79 (0.58-1.08), 0.65 (0.47-0.90), and 1.04 (0.78-1.40). Subjects with a moderate consumption of fish (third and fourth quintiles of consumption: median of each quintile 83.3 and 112 g/day, respectively) had a relative risk reduction higher than 30%.


CONCLUSIONS
A potential benefit of w-3 PUFA intake on total mental disorders is suggested, although no linear trend was apparent.
Sanchez-Villegas
Almudena
A
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, P.O. Box 550, 35080 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. asanchez@dcc.ulpgc.es
Henríquez
Patricia
P
Figueiras
Adolfo
A
Ortuño
Felipe
F
Lahortiga
Francisca
F
Martínez-González
Miguel A
MA
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3
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