N-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of all-cause mortality among general populations: a meta-analysis.
Prospective observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of dietary or circulating n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) with risk of all-cause mortality. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the associations. Potentially eligible studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE databases. The summary relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model. Eleven prospective studies involving 371 965 participants from general populations and 31 185 death events were included. The summary RR of all-cause mortality for high-versus-low n-3 LCPUFA intake was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84-0.98). The summary RR for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75-0.92) and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74-0.95), respectively. In the dose-response analysis, each 0.3 g/d increment in n-3 LCPUFA intake was associated with 6% lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.99); and each 1% increment in the proportions of circulating EPA and DHA in total fatty acids in blood was associated with 20% (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65-0.98) and 21% (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63-0.99) decreased risk of all-cause mortality, respectively. Moderate to high heterogeneity was observed across our anlayses. Our findings suggest that both dietary and circulating LCPUFA are inversely associated with all-cause mortality.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Guo-Chong
GC
Chen
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.|Department of Nutrition, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Jing
J
Yang
DSM Nutrition Products, Human Nutrition and Health, Kaiseraugst, Switzerland.
Manfred
M
Eggersdorfer
DSM Nutrition Products, Human Nutrition and Health, Beijing, China.
Weiguo
W
Zhang
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Li-Qiang
LQ
Qin
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid