Omega-3 fatty acids status in human subjects estimated using a food frequency questionnaire and plasma phospholipids levels

The study sample consisted of 200 French-Canadians men and women aged between 18 to 55？years. Dietary data were collected using a validated FFQ. Fasting blood samples were collected and the plasma PL FA profile was measured by gas chromatography.Low intakes of n-3 long-chain FA together with low percentages of n-3 long-chain FA in plasma PL were found in French-Canadian population. Daily intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were similar between men and women. Yet, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and total n-3 FA intakes were significantly higher in men compared to women (ALA: 2.28？g and 1.69？g, p？<？0.0001, total n-3 FA: 2.57？g and 1.99？g, p？<？0.0001; respectively). In plasma PL, DPA and DHA percentages were significantly different between men and women (DPA: 1.03% and 0.88%, p？<？0.0001, DHA: 3.00% and 3.43%, p？=？0.0005; respectively). Moreover, DHA (men: r？=？0.52, p？<？0.0001; women: r？=？0.57, p？<？0.0001) and total n-3 FA (men: r？=？0.47, p？<？0.0001; women: r？=？0.52, p？<？0.0001) intakes were positively correlated to their respective plasma PL FA levels. In women, EPA (r？=？0.44, p？<？0.0001) and DPA (r？=？0.23, p？=？0.02) intakes were also correlated respectively with EPA and DPA plasma PL FA percentages.Estimated n-3 long-chain FA intake among this young and well-educated French-Canadian population is lower than the recommendations. Further, FFQ data is comparable to plasma PL results to estimate DHA and total n-3 FA status in healthy individuals as well as to evaluate the EPA and DPA status in women. Overall, this FFQ could be used as a simple, low-cost tool in future studies to rank n-3 FA status of individuals.