Assessing the health impact of low seafood omega-3 intake on ischaemic heart disease: trends, demographic disparities, and forecasts.

Abstract

Background: The burden of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) due to low intake of seafood omega-3 fatty acids is a major global health concern, particularly impacting mortality and disability rates. Understanding these trends and demographic variations offers insights for targeted public health interventions.

Methods and results: This study used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database to analyse the IHD burden attributable to low omega-3 intake across 204 countries from 1990 to 2021, stratified by age, sex, and region. Key metrics included deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability, and years of life lost. Joinpoint regression and Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average modelling were used to assess trends and project future burden through 2035. Globally, IHD-related deaths due to low omega-3 intake rose from 500 154 in 1990 to 627 342 in 2021, with the age-standardized death rate declining from 13.94 to 7.49 per 100 000. DALYs increased from 13 million in 1990 to over 15 million in 2021, though the age-standardized DALY rate dropped from 322.93 to 181.07 per 100 000. Regional disparities were significant; North Africa and the Middle East had a 2021 death rate of 18.76 per 100 000 compared with 2.74 per 100 000 in high-income regions. Age and sex stratification revealed that older populations and males bear a higher burden. Projections indicate a stable or rising trend in low sociodemographic index regions through 2035.

Conclusion: This study highlights a substantial global burden of IHD linked to low omega-3 intake, with significant regional and demographic disparities. Increasing omega-3 intake, especially in high-burden regions, could help to mitigate future IHD impacts.