A comparison of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Intakes from Three Dietary Screening Tools

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Assessment
• Biomarker Validation

Background:

• A novel Omega-3 Questionnaire (O3Q) was developed to assess habitual omega-3 fatty acid intake.
• Previous validation focused on blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and Omega-3 Index.
• Comparison with established dietary assessment tools was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the O3Q with two common dietary assessment methods: 24-hour recall and Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ).
• To evaluate the estimation of habitual omega-3 fatty acid intakes using these three tools.

Main Methods:

• A correlational study involving 49 participants was conducted.
• Dietary intake data from O3Q, multiple 24-hour recalls, and DHQ were collected.
• Intake estimates were compared to blood biomarkers (EPA, DHA, Omega-3 Index) using Spearman's correlation and stepwise multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• The O3Q demonstrated higher correlation coefficients with blood biomarkers (EPA: r_s=0.75, DHA: r_s=0.74, Omega-3 Index: r_s=0.77) compared to DHQ and 24-hour recall.
• Regression analysis identified the O3Q as the significant predictor of Omega-3 Index levels (β = 0.66).

Conclusions:

• The O3Q is the preferred tool for evaluating habitual omega-3 fatty acid intake.
• The O3Q outperforms multiple 24-hour recalls and the DHQ in estimating Omega-3 Index and habitual omega-3 intake.