Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Surveys: Likert Scales; Convenience and Random Sampling
Survey of the erythrocyte EPA+DHA levels in the heart attack/stroke belt
W S Harris1, K H Jackson2, J T Brenna3
1OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC, Sioux Falls, SD, USA; Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
Background:
The Omega-3 Index (O3I; erythrocyte EPA+DHA as a percent of total fatty acids) is inversely related to risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The cardioprotective target O3I is 8%-12%. O3I levels in American regions with high CVD risk are poorly characterized.
Purpose:
To determine the O3I in individuals participating in a Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) survey in seven US cities in the CVD "belt."
Methods:
Fingerstick blood samples were analyzed for the O3I.
Results:
The SNP cohort (n = 2177) had a mean (SD) O3I of 4.42% (1.12%). Only 1.2% were in the desirable range, whereas 42% had an undesirable (<4%) O3I. The mean (SD) O3I in a subset of 772 SNP subjects who were matched for age and sex with the Framingham study was 4.6% (1.2%) compared 5.3% (1.6%) in the Framingham cohort (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Individuals in the CVD "belt" had relatively low O3I levels. Since in other settings, a low O3I is associated with increased risk for CVD, this may be one factor contributing to the higher risk for CVD in this region of the US.
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