{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,8]],"date-time":"2026-10-08T22:28:27Z","timestamp":1791498507817,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,9]],"date-time":"2021-05-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1620518400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":8,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,25]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>To determine reference ranges of circulating long-chain (LC) omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in a nationally representative population of Americans. To provide context, serum concentrations of LC omega-3 were compared with concentrations associated with consuming the recommended amount of EPA and DHA by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and the Omega-3 Index (EPA+DHA).<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Cross-sectional population-based study.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011\u20132012 cycle.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Participants with fatty acids measured in serum: 945 children, age 3\u201319 years, and 1316 adults, age 20 and older.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Main measure<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Serum EPA, DPA, DHA and sum of LC omega-3 fatty acids expressed as per cent of total fatty acids.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Among children, mean (SE) serum concentrations of EPA, DHA and omega-3s were 0.28% (0.01), 1.07% (0.02) and 1.75% (0.03). Among adults, mean (SE) of EPA, DHA and omega-3s were 0.61% (0.02), 1.38% (0.05) and 2.43% (0.08), all of which were significantly higher than corresponding serum fatty acid concentrations in children (p&lt;0.001). Despite recommendations for higher intake, pregnant and\/or breastfeeding women had mean (SE) EPA, DHA and LC omega-3 concentrations of 0.34% (0.07), 1.52% (0.08) and 2.18% (0.15), which were comparable to women of childbearing age; p=0.17, p=0.10\u2009and p=0.73. Over 95% of children and 68% of adults had LC omega-3 concentrations below those associated with the DGA recommendation. Approximately 89% of adults had an Omega-3 Index in the high cardiovascular risk category.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Contemporary reference ranges for circulating LC omega-3s are critical for setting public health recommendations. Our findings show the need for continued emphasis on regular consumption of LC omega-3s among Americans, particularly considering the importance of LC omega-3s in cardiovascular health, brain health and development throughout life.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2020-043301","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,10]],"date-time":"2021-05-10T13:47:12Z","timestamp":1620654432000},"page":"e043301","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Long-chain omega-3 fatty acid serum concentrations across life stages in the USA: an analysis of NHANES 2011\u20132012"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4383-5641","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachel A","family":"Murphy","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada"},{"name":"School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Prasad P","family":"Devarshi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmavite LLC, Mission Hills, California, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shauna","family":"Ekimura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmavite LLC, Mission Hills, California, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Keri","family":"Marshall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmavite LLC, Mission Hills, California, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Susan","family":"Hazels Mitmesser","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science and Technology, Pharmavite LLC, Mission Hills, California, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025101811244521000_11.5.e043301.1","unstructured":"American Heart Association . 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