title: Association of dietary omega-3 fatty acids with prevalence of metabolic syndrome: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and insulin resistance is a major public health concern in the United States. Omega-3 fatty acids have been relatively well studied in relation to many individual cardiovascular risk factors; however, their effects on MetS are not well established.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of 4941 participants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Family Heart Study to assess the relation of dietary omega-3 fatty acids with the prevalence of MetS. Omega-3 intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and we used generalized estimating equations to estimate adjusted odds ratios for prevalent MetS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study population had a mean age (SD) of 52.1 (13.9) years and 45.9% were men. The mean (SD) of dietary omega-3 fatty acids was 0.25 g/day (0.27). From the lowest to the highest quintile of dietary omega-3 fatty acids, multivariable adjusted ORs (95% CI) for MetS were 1.00 (ref), 0.90 (0.72-1.13), 1.03 (0.82-1.28), 0.94 (0.74-1.18), and 0.99 (0.77-1.25), respectively. In a secondary analysis, neither fish consumption nor dietary alpha-linolenic acid was associated with MetS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings do not support an association between dietary omega-3 fatty acids and MetS in a large US population.
authors.affiliation: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Clinical Research Center, Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Y H Lana
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Petrone
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pankow
authors.forename: Donna K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Arnett
authors.forename: Kari E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: North
authors.forename: R Curtis
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Djoussé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005006:Ethnicity; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D054555:National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.); D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014280:Triglycerides; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
keywords: Dietary alpha-linolenic acid (ALA); Fish; Metabolic syndrome; Omega-3 fatty acids