Changes in consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the United States during the 20th century

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 93; no. 5; pp. 950 - 962
• Main Authors: Blasbalg, Tanya L, Hibbeln, Joseph R, Ramsden, Christopher E, Majchrzak, Sharon F, Rawlings, Robert R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.05.2011; American Society for Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: administration & dosage; Algorithms; analysis; arachidonic acid; Biological and medical sciences; chemistry; commodity foods; Databases, Factual; Diet; Diet - economics; Diet - history; Diet - trends; docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - analysis; Docosahexaenoic Acids - metabolism; economics; eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - analysis; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - metabolism; Energy; Energy Intake; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - analysis; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - analysis; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - metabolism; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food; Food Analysis; food availability; Food Supply; Food Supply - history; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; highly unsaturated fatty acids; history; History, 20th Century; Humans; linoleic acid; Linoleic Acid - administration & dosage; Linoleic Acid - analysis; Linoleic Acid - metabolism; metabolism; Nutrition; Nutrition Surveys; Nutritional Status; Nutritional Status, Dietary Intake, and Body Composition; omega-3 fatty acids; per capita food consumption; Soybean oil; Soybean Oil - administration & dosage; Soybean Oil - chemistry; Soybean Oil - economics; Soybeans; traditional foods; trends; United States; Vegetable oils; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Human; Century 20th; n-6 fatty acid; Food intake; Unsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Change; n-3 fatty acid
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.110.006643

Background: The consumption of omega-3 (n–3) and omega-6 (n–6) essential fatty acids in Western diets is thought to have changed markedly during the 20th century. Objective: We sought to quantify changes in the apparent consumption of essential fatty acids in the United States from 1909 to 1999. Design: We calculated the estimated per capita consumption of food commodities and availability of essential fatty acids from 373 food commodities by using economic disappearance data for each year from 1909 to 1999. Nutrient compositions for 1909 were modeled by using current foods (1909-C) and foods produced by traditional early 20th century practices (1909-T). Results: The estimated per capita consumption of soybean oil increased >1000-fold from 1909 to 1999. The availability of linoleic acid (LA) increased from 2.79% to 7.21% of energy (P < 0.000001), whereas the availability of α-linolenic acid (ALA) increased from 0.39% to 0.72% of energy by using 1909-C modeling. By using 1909-T modeling, LA was 2.23% of energy, and ALA was 0.35% of energy. The ratio of LA to ALA increased from 6.4 in 1909 to 10.0 in 1999. The 1909-T but not the 1909-C data showed substantial declines in dietary availability (percentage of energy) of n−6 arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Predicted net effects of these dietary changes included declines in tissue n--3 highly unsaturated fatty acid status (36.81%, 1909-T; 31.28%, 1909-C; 22.95%, 1999) and declines in the estimated omega-3 index (8.28, 1909-T; 6.51, 1909-C; 3.84, 1999). Conclusion: The apparent increased consumption of LA, which was primarily from soybean oil, has likely decreased tissue concentrations of EPA and DHA during the 20th century.