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DIETARY OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS MODIFIED THE ASSOCIATION OF PULMONARY FUNCTION WITH AIR POLLUTION IN ADOLESCENTS
Citation:
BURNS, J. S., D. W. DOCKERY, L. M. NEAS, J. SCHWARTZ, B. COULL, AND F. E. SPEIZER. DIETARY OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS MODIFIED THE ASSOCIATION OF PULMONARY FUNCTION WITH AIR POLLUTION IN ADOLESCENTS. Presented at American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, May 19 - 23, 2007.
Description:
Previous children's studies in North America and Germany have shown that ambient sulfate particles are associated with an increased prevalence of bronchitis and decreased lung function. We have now investigated the ability of dietary intake of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids to modify this fine particle effect on pulmonary function among 2,112 adolescents (16-19 years) in twelve cities in the U.S. and Canada in 1998 to 1999. Log pulmonary function (FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75%) was modeled with log height, log weight, sex, sex-log height interaction, race, age, smoking, overweight, a random city effect, and city-specific annual average (1988-91) air pollution scaled to the 10th to 90th percentile range for effect estimation. Dietary omega-3 intake was assessed with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. 99% of the adolescents consumed less than the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids (300 mg). Significantly lower forced vital capacity (FVC) was associated with respirable particulate matter (PM2.1) (-2.0%; 95% CI -3.2%, -0.7%), sulfate particles (SO4) (-1.8%; 95% CI -3.4%, -0.2%), and particle acidity (H+) (-1.7%; 95% CI -3.2%, -0.1%). For the 1,685 adolescents with dietary omega-3 less than 85 mg (lower four quintiles), significantly lower FVC was associated with PM2.1 (-2.5%; 95% CI -3.9%, -1.1%), SO4 (-2.4%; 95% CI -4.1%, -0.7%), and H+ (-2.2%; 95% CI -3.9%, -0.5%). For the 427 adolescents with dietary intake of omega-3 of 85 mg or greater (upper quintile), there were no associations observed between lower FVC and PM2.1 (-0.2%; 95% CI -2.7%, 2.3%), SO4 (0.3%; 95% CI -2.5%, 3.2%), or H+ (0.3%; 95% CI -2.5%, 3.2%). Although these adolescents had dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids substantially below the recommendation this analysis suggests that higher intake may be protective against adverse pulmonary responses associated with chronic air pollution¿s inflammatory effects.