Sala Vila, AleixHarris, William S.Cofán Pujol, MontserratPérez-Heras, Ana MariaPintó Sala, XavierLamuela Raventós, Rosa Ma.Covas Planells, María IsabelEstruch Riba, RamonRos Rahola, Emilio2013-10-012013-10-012011-080007-1145https://hdl.handle.net/2445/46583The omega-3 index, defined as the sum of EPA and DHA in erythrocyte membranes expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids, has been proposed as both a risk marker and risk factor for CHD death. A major determinant of the omega-3 index is EPA þ DHA intake, but the impact of other dietary fatty acids has not been investigated. In a cross-sectional study on 198 subjects (102 men and 96 women, mean age 66 years) at high cardiovascular risk living in Spain, the country with low rates of cardiac death despite a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, dietary data were acquired from FFQ and blood cell membrane fatty acid composition was measured by GC. The average consumption of EPA þ DHA was 0·9 g/d and the mean omega-3 index was 7·1%. In multivariate models, EPA þ DHA intake was the main predictor of the omega-3 index but explained only 12% of its variability (P,0·001). No associations with other dietary fatty acids were observed. Although the single most influential determinant of the omega-3 index measured here was the intake of EPA þ DHA, it explained little of the former"s variability; hence, the effects of other factors (genetic, dietary and lifestyle) remain to be determined. Nevertheless, the high omega-3 index could at least partially explain the paradox of low rates of fatal CHD in Spain despite a high background prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors.7 p.application/pdfeng(c) Cambridge University Press, 2011DietaMalalties cardiovascularsFactors de risc en les malaltiesÀcids grassos omega-3DietCardiovascular diseasesRisk factors in diseasesOmega-3 fatty acidsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article6011962013-10-01info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess21450116