title: Plasma omega-3 fatty acids and incident diabetes in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although long-chain omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 FA) consumption estimated via food-frequency questionnaires has been associated with a higher incidence of diabetes, limited prospective data on diabetes risk are available that use objective biomarkers of n-3 FAs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to examine the relation between plasma phospholipid n-3 FAs and incident diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively analyzed data in 3088 older men and women (mean age: 75 y) from the Cardiovascular Health Study (1992-2007). Plasma phospholipid n-3 FAs were measured by using gas chromatography, and incident diabetes was ascertained by using information on hypoglycemic agents and serum glucose. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a median follow-up of 10.6 y, 204 new cases of diabetes occurred. In a multivariable model that controlled for age, sex, race, clinic site, body mass index, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, LDL cholesterol, and linoleic acid, relative risks (95% CIs) for diabetes were 1.0 (reference), 0.96 (0.65, 1.43), 1.03 (0.69, 1.54), and 0.64 (0.41, 1.01) across consecutive quartiles of phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (P for trend = 0.05). Corresponding relative risks (95% CIs) for phospholipid α-linolenic acid (ALA) were 1.0 (reference), 0.93 (0.65, 1.34), 0.99 (0.68, 1.44), and 0.57 (0.36, 0.90) (P for trend = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the use of objective biomarkers, long-chain n-3 FAs and ALA were not associated with a higher incidence of diabetes. Individuals with the highest concentrations of both types of FAs had lower risk of diabetes.
authors: Division of Aging, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. ldjousse@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
authors: Luc
authors: L
authors: Djoussé
authors: Mary L
authors: ML
authors: Biggs
authors: Rozenn N
authors: RN
authors: Lemaitre
authors: Irena B
authors: IB
authors: King
authors: Xiaoling
authors: X
authors: Song
authors: Joachim H
authors: JH
authors: Ix
authors: Kenneth J
authors: KJ
authors: Mukamal
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Siscovick
authors: Dariush
authors: D
authors: Mozaffarian
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