The influence of n-3 PUFA supplements and n-3 PUFA enriched foods on the n-3 LC PUFA intake of Flemish women.
Food consumption data of Flemish women of reproductive age collected in 2002 showed a large deficit for ALA and n-3 LC PUFA compared to the recommendations (mean ALA and EPA + DHA intake 1.4 g/day and 209 mg/day, respectively) and indicated a need to tackle the problem of low n-3 PUFA intake. Another recent Belgian study demonstrated that enrichment of commonly eaten food items with n-3 PUFA provides the opportunity to increase the n-3 PUFA intake up to 6.5 g/day and decrease the n-6/n-3 ratio. Since a large supply of n-3 PUFA supplements and n-3 PUFA enriched foods exists on the Belgian market, this study aimed at assessing the influence of these products on the n-3 LC PUFA intake for Flemish women of reproductive age. It was found that n-3 supplements are consumed by 5% of the Flemish women. Of all the n-3 PUFA enriched foods on the Flemish market, margarines and cooking fat are most frequently consumed by young women. The results indicated that a big gap remains between the EPA&DHA intake (mean = 276 mg/day) and the recommendation. Seafood remains the most important source of EPA&DHA. Only 11.6% of the population sample reached an intake level of 500 mg EPA&DHA per day. The study showed that other strategies will be needed to increase the EPA&DHA intake in the long term.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, UZ-2 Blok A, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Isabelle.Sioen@UGent.be
Isabelle
I
Sioen
Jolien
J
Devroe
David
D
Inghels
Ruth
R
Terwecoren
Stefaan
S
De Henauw
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated