LAUSR

Abstract Objectives Recent intakes of omega-3 fatty acids in American adults are unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in American adults by analyzing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018. The hypothesis is that American adults will meet the adequate intake (AI) values for alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), whereas the consumption of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) will fall below the recommendations set forth by the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization. Methods NHANES 2017–2018 was analyzed to determine the consumption of ALA, EPA, and DHA from food sources in American adults. Gender, age, and “race/Hispanic origin” were used to analyze the average consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in these groups. Male and female adults (19 to 80 years) were included in the analyses. Exclusion criteria were children and adolescents (18 years and younger) and adults who indicated that they consumed less than 1,000 kilocalories or more than 6,000 kilocalories per day. Results The main results demonstrated that American adults consumed approximately 1.98 grams/day of ALA. Therefore, American adults achieved the AI values for ALA, which are 1.1 grams/day for females and 1.6 grams/day for males. In contrast, American adults consumed approximately 35 milligrams/day of EPA and 76 milligrams/day of DHA. The American Heart Association recommends consuming oily fish at least twice per week, which equals approximately 500 mg of EPA plus DHA. In addition, individuals with documented cardiovascular disease should consume approximately 1 gram/day of EPA plus DHA. The World Health Organization recommends consuming 0.25 to 2 grams/day of EPA plus DHA. As such, American adults did not meet the recommendations for EPA and DHA. Conclusions NHANES 2017–2018 analyses revealed that American adults are meeting the AI values for ALA, whereas they are not achieving the recommendations for EPA and DHA. These outcomes suggest that the low intakes of EPA and DHA may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. Funding Sources No funding was used for this project.