Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

The Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE)

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2

Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

The Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

102 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The health effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been controversial. Here we report the results of a de novo pooled analysis conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42,466 individuals. We found that, after multivariable adjustment for relevant risk factors, risk for death from all causes was significantly lower (by 15–18%, at least p < 0.003) in the highest vs the lowest quintile for circulating long chain (20–22 carbon) omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids). Similar relationships were seen for death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes. No associations were seen with the 18-carbon omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid. These findings suggest that higher circulating levels of marine n-3 PUFA are associated with a lower risk of premature death.

Original language	English
Article number	2329
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2
Publication status	Published - Dec 1 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy(all)
Chemistry(all)
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2

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@article{fd9d2c7dd15e4778be4339fbd29e778e,

title = "Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies",

abstract = "The health effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been controversial. Here we report the results of a de novo pooled analysis conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42,466 individuals. We found that, after multivariable adjustment for relevant risk factors, risk for death from all causes was significantly lower (by 15–18%, at least p < 0.003) in the highest vs the lowest quintile for circulating long chain (20–22 carbon) omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids). Similar relationships were seen for death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes. No associations were seen with the 18-carbon omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid. These findings suggest that higher circulating levels of marine n-3 PUFA are associated with a lower risk of premature death.",

author = "{The Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE)} and Harris, {William S.} and Tintle, {Nathan L.} and Fumiaki Imamura and Frank Qian and Korat, {Andres V.Ardisson} and Matti Marklund and Luc Djouss{\'e} and Bassett, {Julie K.} and Carmichael, {Pierre Hugues} and Chen, {Yun Yu} and Yoichiro Hirakawa and K{\"u}pers, {Leanne K.} and Federica Laguzzi and Maria Lankinen and Murphy, {Rachel A.} and C{\'e}cilia Samieri and Senn, {Mackenzie K.} and Peilin Shi and Virtanen, {Jyrki K.} and Brouwer, {Ingeborg A.} and Chien, {Kuo Liong} and Gudny Eiriksdottir and Forouhi, {Nita G.} and Geleijnse, {Johanna M.} and Giles, {Graham G.} and Vilmundur Gudnason and Catherine Helmer and Allison Hodge and Rebecca Jackson and Khaw, {Kay Tee} and Markku Laakso and Heidi Lai and Danielle Laurin and Karin Leander and Joan Lindsay and Renata Micha and Jaako Mursu and Toshiharu Ninomiya and Wendy Post and Psaty, {Bruce M.} and Ulf Ris{\'e}rus and Robinson, {Jennifer G.} and Shadyab, {Aladdin H.} and Linda Snetselaar and Aleix Sala-Vila and Yangbo Sun and Steffen, {Lyn M.} and Tsai, {Michael Y.} and Wareham, {Nicholas J.} and Wood, {Alexis C.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors below declare the following competing interests outside of the submitted work. A.I.B., Involvement in a research project partly funded by Unilever. A.S.V., Grants and support to attend professional meetings from the California Walnut Commission. B. M.P., Data and Safety Monitoring Board of a clinical trial funded by Zoll LifeCor; Steering Committee of the Yale Open Data Access Project funded by Johnson & Johnson. D.M., Research grants to Institution: the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation; Personal Fees: the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3, Bunge, Indigo Agriculture, Motif FoodWorks, Amarin, Acasti Pharma, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Danone, and America{\textquoteright}s Test Kitchen; Scientific Advisory Boards: Brightseed, Calibrate, DayTwo, Elysium Health, Filtricine, Foodome, Human Co., and Tiny Organics; and Chapter Royalties: UpToDate. J.G.R., Research grants to Institution: Acasti, Amarin, Amgen, Astra-Zeneca, Eli Lilly, Esperion, Medicines Company, Merck, Novartis, Novo-Nordisk, Regeneron, and Sanofi. Consultant: Getz Pharma, Medicines Company, and Sanofi. R.A.M., Research grants to Institution: I. L.S.I. North America; Personal Fees from PharmaVite. The author below declares the following competing interests related to the submitted work. W.S.H., Stock in Omega-Quant Analytics, LLC (a laboratory that offers blood fatty acid testing); Schiff Institute Science and Innovation Advisory Board. The remaining authors declare no competing interests. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s).",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Nature communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

AU - The Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE)

AU - Harris, William S.

AU - Tintle, Nathan L.

AU - Imamura, Fumiaki

AU - Qian, Frank

AU - Korat, Andres V.Ardisson

AU - Marklund, Matti

AU - Djoussé, Luc

AU - Bassett, Julie K.

AU - Carmichael, Pierre Hugues

AU - Chen, Yun Yu

AU - Hirakawa, Yoichiro

AU - Küpers, Leanne K.

AU - Laguzzi, Federica

AU - Lankinen, Maria

AU - Murphy, Rachel A.

AU - Samieri, Cécilia

AU - Senn, Mackenzie K.

AU - Shi, Peilin

AU - Virtanen, Jyrki K.

AU - Brouwer, Ingeborg A.

AU - Chien, Kuo Liong

AU - Eiriksdottir, Gudny

AU - Forouhi, Nita G.

AU - Geleijnse, Johanna M.

AU - Giles, Graham G.

AU - Gudnason, Vilmundur

AU - Helmer, Catherine

AU - Hodge, Allison

AU - Jackson, Rebecca

AU - Khaw, Kay Tee

AU - Laakso, Markku

AU - Lai, Heidi

AU - Laurin, Danielle

AU - Leander, Karin

AU - Lindsay, Joan

AU - Micha, Renata

AU - Mursu, Jaako

AU - Ninomiya, Toshiharu

AU - Post, Wendy

AU - Psaty, Bruce M.

AU - Risérus, Ulf

AU - Robinson, Jennifer G.

AU - Shadyab, Aladdin H.

AU - Snetselaar, Linda

AU - Sala-Vila, Aleix

AU - Sun, Yangbo

AU - Steffen, Lyn M.

AU - Tsai, Michael Y.

AU - Wareham, Nicholas J.

AU - Wood, Alexis C.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors below declare the following competing interests outside of the submitted work. A.I.B., Involvement in a research project partly funded by Unilever. A.S.V., Grants and support to attend professional meetings from the California Walnut Commission. B. M.P., Data and Safety Monitoring Board of a clinical trial funded by Zoll LifeCor; Steering Committee of the Yale Open Data Access Project funded by Johnson & Johnson. D.M., Research grants to Institution: the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation; Personal Fees: the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3, Bunge, Indigo Agriculture, Motif FoodWorks, Amarin, Acasti Pharma, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Danone, and America’s Test Kitchen; Scientific Advisory Boards: Brightseed, Calibrate, DayTwo, Elysium Health, Filtricine, Foodome, Human Co., and Tiny Organics; and Chapter Royalties: UpToDate. J.G.R., Research grants to Institution: Acasti, Amarin, Amgen, Astra-Zeneca, Eli Lilly, Esperion, Medicines Company, Merck, Novartis, Novo-Nordisk, Regeneron, and Sanofi. Consultant: Getz Pharma, Medicines Company, and Sanofi. R.A.M., Research grants to Institution: I. L.S.I. North America; Personal Fees from PharmaVite. The author below declares the following competing interests related to the submitted work. W.S.H., Stock in Omega-Quant Analytics, LLC (a laboratory that offers blood fatty acid testing); Schiff Institute Science and Innovation Advisory Board. The remaining authors declare no competing interests. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - The health effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been controversial. Here we report the results of a de novo pooled analysis conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42,466 individuals. We found that, after multivariable adjustment for relevant risk factors, risk for death from all causes was significantly lower (by 15–18%, at least p < 0.003) in the highest vs the lowest quintile for circulating long chain (20–22 carbon) omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids). Similar relationships were seen for death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes. No associations were seen with the 18-carbon omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid. These findings suggest that higher circulating levels of marine n-3 PUFA are associated with a lower risk of premature death.

AB - The health effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been controversial. Here we report the results of a de novo pooled analysis conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42,466 individuals. We found that, after multivariable adjustment for relevant risk factors, risk for death from all causes was significantly lower (by 15–18%, at least p < 0.003) in the highest vs the lowest quintile for circulating long chain (20–22 carbon) omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids). Similar relationships were seen for death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes. No associations were seen with the 18-carbon omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid. These findings suggest that higher circulating levels of marine n-3 PUFA are associated with a lower risk of premature death.

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85105757201&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2

DO - 10.1038/s41467-021-22370-2

M3 - Article

C2 - 33888689

AN - SCOPUS:85105757201

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 12

JO - Nature communications

JF - Nature communications

IS - 1

M1 - 2329

ER -

Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

Abstract

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