Relationships Between Omega-3 Index and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors in Collegiate Athletes

Background/Objectives: The omega-3 index, defined as the percentage of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in erythrocyte membranes, is an established biomarker of long-term omega-3 fatty acid status and cardiometabolic disease risk in clinical populations. The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III men's and women's collegiate athletes with an Omega-3 Index below the recommended threshold of 4%. Methods: Fifty (male, n = 21; female, n = 29) collegiate athletes completed a single testing session including anthropometrics, body composition, resting heart rate (HR) and blood pressure assessment, and venous blood sampling for determination of Omega-3 Index, complete blood counts, and lipid profiles. The cardiovascular risk factors examined were total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, body mass index, body composition, waist-to-hip ratio, resting hemodynamics, and blood glucose. Results: Overall, 54% of athletes exhibited an Omega-3 Index < 4%, while 100% had an Omega-3 Index < 8%. Male athletes demonstrated significantly higher Omega-3 Index, total omega-3 fatty acid levels, and lower omega-6:omega-3 ratios than females (p ≤ 0.005; ηp² = 0.154-0.194). Pearson correlation analyses revealed few significant correlations between Omega-3 Index and cardiometabolic disease risk factors, with only weak relationships observed for systolic blood pressure (r = 0.284, p = 0.046) and triglycerides (r = -0.348, p = 0.035). Conclusions: Suboptimal omega-3 status was highly prevalent among collegiate athletes, with no participant achieving the cardioprotective Omega-3 Index threshold of ≥8%. Although male athletes demonstrated a more favorable omega-3 fatty acid profile than females, Omega-3 Index exhibited limited correlations with traditional cardiometabolic disease risk factors in this young, healthy population.