Of course, the questions you are asking are probably?<\/p>\n The latest study (M Thompson et al, Nutrients, 2019, 11: 177, doi: 10.3390\/nu11010177) <\/a>goes a long way towards answering those important questions.<\/p>\n How Was The Study Done?<\/strong><\/p>\n EPA and DHA intake from foods was based on the average of two 24-hour dietary recall interviews. Trained dietary interviewers collected detailed information on all foods and beverages consumed during the past 24 hours.<\/p>\n To assess EPA and DHA intake from supplements study participants were asked what supplements they had taken in the past 30 days, how many days out of 30 they had taken it, and the amount that was taken on those days.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In terms of total EPA+DHA intake:<\/p>\n In terms of EPA+DHA from supplements:<\/p>\n Of course, like any clinical study, it has strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n The biggest weakness of this study is that omega-3 intake is based on the participants recall of what they ate. The strengths of the study are its size (45,347 participants) and the fact that its estimate of omega-3 intake is consistent with several smaller studies.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n You would think the answer to that question would be easy. It is not. This study provides a precise estimate of American\u2019s omega-3 intake. The problem is there is no consensus as to how much omega-3s we need. There is no RDA for omega-3s.<\/p>\n There are, in fact, three sets of guidelines for how much omega-3s we need, and they disagree.<\/p>\n Using these recommendations as guidelines, this study reported that:<\/p>\n While the percentage deficiency varied according to the EPA+DHA guidelines used, it is clear from these results that Americans of all age groups are not getting enough omega-3s from their diet.<\/p>\n The authors concluded: \u201cWe found omega-3 intakes across all age groups was lower than recommended amounts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The authors said: \u201cTaken together, these findings demonstrate that low omega-3 fatty acid intake is consistent among the US population and could increase the risk for adverse health outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations (e.g., young children and pregnant women).\u201d<\/p>\n In part, the focus on young children and pregnant women was based on their very low omega-3 intake. With intakes at 20-27% of recommended levels, I would consider these groups to be dangerously deficient in omega-3s.<\/p>\n According to the authors low intake of EPA and DHA during pregnancy and early childhood is associated with maternal depression, pre-term births, low birth-weight babies, increased risk of allergies and asthma, problems with learning and cognition, and other neurocognitive outcomes.<\/p>\n None of these associations between low omega-3 intake and adverse health outcomes have been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, but the evidence is strong enough that we should be alarmed by the very low omega-3 intake in pregnant women and young children.<\/p>\n There is, however, a simple solution. The authors of this study concluded: \u201cIndividuals taking EPA\/DHA containing supplements had significantly elevated intake compared to individuals not taking omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplements or not reporting any supplement use.\u201d<\/p>\n I agree. Given the low omega-3 intake in these population group and current guidelines for omega-3 intake. I recommend:<\/p>\n Of course, this study also confirmed that Americans of all age groups are not getting enough omega-3s from their diet, and low omega-3 intake may increase the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that high purity omega-3 supplements may reduce heart disease risk<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"pregnant](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/pregnant-women-omega-3-deficient-300x234.jpg\")
<\/a>It is no secret that the American population is deficient in omega-3s. Numerous studies have documented that fact. There are many reasons for Americans\u2019 low intake of omega-3s:<\/p>\n\n
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![\"scientific](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/study-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>This study used data on 45,347 Americans who participated in NHANES surveys between 2003 and 2014. (NHANES or National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys is a program run by the CDC that is designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children living in the United States).<\/p>\nWhat Is The Omega-3 Status Of The American Population?<\/h2>\n
![\"omega](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/omega-3-status-300x300.jpg\")
<\/a>The results of the NHANES surveys were shocking.<\/p>\n\n
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Are Americans Deficient In Omega-3s?<\/h3>\n
![\"pregnant](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/pregnant-women-omega-3-deficient-question-300x223.jpg\")
<\/a>Now we are ready to answer the questions I posed at the beginning of this article. Let\u2019s start with the first one: \u201cHow deficient are we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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Are Pregnant Women and Young Children Dangerously Deficient In Omega-3s?<\/h2>\n
![\"danger](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/danger-symbol.jpg\")
<\/a>While the authors concluded that all age groups were deficient in omega-3s, they were particularly concerned about the omega-3 deficiencies in pregnant women and young children.<\/p>\n![\"pregnant](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/pregnant-women-omega-3-deficient-pregnancy-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>However, the focus on young children and pregnant women was also based on the seriousness of the adverse health outcomes associated with low omega-3 intake in these population groups. This answers the second question I posed at the beginning of this article: \u201cDoes it matter?\u201d<\/p>\n![\"omega](\"https:\/\/www.chaneyhealth.com\/healthtips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/omega-3-supplements-300x201.jpg\")
<\/a>They went on to say: \u201cAs supplement use is associated with increased omega-3 intake, supplementation could be an important source of EPA\/DHA, particularly for pregnant women given their lower fish consumption compared to non-pregnant women of childbearing age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n