Patterns of fish consumption and levels of serum phospholipid very-long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in children with and without asthma, living in Perth, Western Australia

Nutr Diet 2004;61:30–37) Objective: To measure patterns of fish intake and to investigate the extent to which these may predict serum phospholipid levels of the very-long-chain (VLC) omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic (EPA C20:5 omega3) and docosahexaenoic (DHA C22:6 omega-3) acids in a sample of children. Design: A subset within a nested case control study provided serum phospholipid samples for fatty acid analyses. Setting: Perth, Western Australia. Subjects: A nested case control study (n = 335) of eight-year-old children with (n = 166) and without asthma (n = 169) and blood samples for fatty acid analyses from a subset of these (n = 60). Methods: Data on fish type and intake over the previous year were collected from parents on behalf of their children using the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food frequency questionnaire. Fasting venous blood samples from the subset of children were analysed for fatty acids measured by gas liquid chromatography. Analysis of variance and Spearman’s correlation methods were applied in the analysis to determine associations between fish intake and serum VLC omega-3 fatty acids. Main results: Fresh fish accounted for 33% of fish consumed once a week or more by children in the dietary study. The mean concentration of EPA and DHA in serum phospholipids increased significantly from the lowest to the highest fish consumption categories. There were significant correlations between frequency of fish intake as estimated by questionnaire and EPA, DHA, and EPA + DHA combined, as measured in the serum. No differences in serum VLC omega-3 fatty acids were evident in children with and without asthma. Conclusions: In this sample, most children consumed fish at least once per week and the frequency of fish intake as measured by food frequency questionnaire was a valid predictor of EPA and DHA levels in serum phospholipids.