Food group sources and intake of long‐chain fatty acids in the Adventist Health Study‐2 cohort (810.30)

Abstract

Long chain fatty acids have unique and varying effects on health. Identifying common dietary sources of fatty acids can help in developing individual and public health recommendations regarding intake. The purpose of this descriptive study is to identify the food group sources of long‐chain fatty acids in the Adventist Health Study‐2 cohort. This cohort has approximately 96,000 participants (65% female; 26% Black; mean age 58.2 years) from the U.S. and Canada. A quantitative 204 food‐item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to measure food intake. The FFQ was used to estimate fatty acid intake, identify 14 major and 51 minor food groups, and define dietary patterns (vegan (7.6%), vegetarian (28.9%), semi‐vegetarian (5.5%), pesco‐vegetarian (9.8%), and non‐vegetarians (48.2%)). Preliminary results show mean dietary intake (per 2000 kcal) of 72.1 g total fat, 17.7 g linoleic acid, 0.02 g arachidonic acid, 1.85 g α‐linolenic acid (ALA), 16 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 39 mg docosahexaenoic acid. Estimated ALA (0.8% kcal) and linolenic acid (8% kcal) intake meets the dietary reference intake of 0.6‐1.2 and 5‐10% kcals, respectively. Average dietary EPA+DHA intake in this cohort is less than the American Heart Association recommendation of 0.5‐1 g for prevention of heart disease. Further analyses will determine food sources of these fatty acids within each dietary pattern.