Association between omega-3 index and blood lipids in older Australians

Management of hyperlipidaemia remains a cornerstone therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) has been shown to modulate blood lipid profiles and reduce the risk of developing CVD. However, studies relating objective measures of long-term dietary n-3 PUFA intake and circulating lipid levels in older adults are limited. Thus, we aimed to determine whether there is an association between erythrocyte n-3 PUFA status (omega-3 index, O3I) and blood lipid profiles in older adults. A sample of adults aged 65–95 years who participated in the Retirement Health and Lifestyle Study was evaluated. Outcome measures included O3I (% eicosapentaenoic acid+% docosahexaenoic acid) and fasting blood lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride (TG)]. Two hundred and seventy-six subjects were included in the analyses. The mean±SD age was 77.6±7.4 years, and 40.9% were males. O3I was significantly higher in females compared to males. O3I was inversely associated with plasma TG (