Associations between fatty acids providing support for n-3 and n-6 pathways are strongest in pregnant Indian vegetarians compared with pregnant Australian omnivores

Abstract

Exclusion of meat and fish from the diet can lead to low levels of omega-3 (n-3) long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), leaving the body reliant on dietary intake of n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA) for endogenous conversion. This study compared dried blood spot fatty acid profiles from a large cohort of pregnant Indian women in Bengaluru, Karnataka, with self-reported vegetarian (n = 332) or omnivorous (n = 691) diets in the first trimester, to those of pregnant Australian women (n = 454) at a similar gestational age. Indian vegetarians and omnivores showed similar fatty acid profiles in dried blood spots but both had markedly lower n-3 fatty acids (mean total n-3 values: Indian 2.01% and 2.36% of total fatty acids respectively; 4.75% in Australian) with ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid all less than half the Australian values. Both Indian groups also had lower arachidonic acid levels (mean 7.65% and 7.91% respectively, vs 8.50% in Australian omnivores), and higher linoleic acid levels (mean 22.53% and 22.41% respectively, vs 19.96% in Australian omnivores) compared with the Australian participants. In general, the relationships between n-3 fatty acids were stronger in Indian vegetarians than Indian omnivores, and weakest in Australian omnivores. These findings suggest that regardless of diet, Indian women in early pregnancy have lower n-3 LCPUFA status than Australian pregnant women. Our data are consistent with the idea that increasing intake of n-3 ALA-rich oils and reducing n-6 linoleic acid-rich oils in the diet of Indian women could be an efficient way of increasing their n-3 LCPUFA status.

Clinical trial registrations

ORIP, Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12613001142729; BORN, Clinical Trials Registry-India CTRI/2020/08/027146.