The Association Between the Dietary Fatty Acid Fraction and Healthy Life Expectancy: Global Spatiotemporal...

As the global population ages, extending not only the life expectancy (LE) but also the healthy life expectancy (HALE) has become a critical public health objective. Dietary choices, especially the intake of various fatty acids, may play a role in achieving good health.

The aim of this study was to describe the intake of fatty acid (FA) fractions across different countries and explore its associations with HALE and LE from 2010 to 2019 according to publicly available international data.

Data on FA intake in 2010 were obtained from the Global Dietary Database. HALE and LE data were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. A total of 151 countries with populations exceeding 1 million people were included in the analysis. Associations of the intake of each FA with HALE and LE were assessed using linear mixed models adjusted for various covariates.

High national omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) intake was positively associated with both HALE (β: 2.63, SE: 0.73, p < 0.001) and LE (β: 2.32, SE: 0.63, p < 0.001). These associations remained unchanged when n-3 PUFAs were separated into plant-derived and seafood-derived n-3 PUFAs. No significant associations were observed for the other FAs.

Higher intake of n-3 PUFAs is positively associated with longer HALE and LE at the national level. These findings underscore the importance of dietary fat composition in promoting healthy aging. Further research is needed to develop public health strategies adapted to each country.