Higher n–6:n–3 Fatty Acid Intake Is Associated with Decreased Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in a Racially Diverse Sample of Children

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence implicates diet quality in childhood as playing a significant role in adult cardiometabolic health. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the n–6 (ω-6) and n–3 (ω-3) series contribute unique protective effects against cardiometabolic disease. As such, the ratio between n–6 and n–3 PUFAs is a dietary metric of interest in the early life span, although an optimum intake ratio has yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study assesses relations between the ratio of total n–6:n–3 PUFA intake and cardiometabolic risk factors in a racially diverse sample of children (n = 191) from the Admixture Mapping of Ethnic and Racial Insulin Complex Outcomes (AMERICO) study. METHODS: Outcome measures included waist circumference, lipid concentrations, fasting glucose, and two 24-h dietary recalls from boys and girls aged 7–12 y who self-reported as European American (n = 81), African American (n = 55), or Hispanic American (n = 55). Linear regression analyses were used to assess associations between predictors of interest and outcomes after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: PUFA intake reflected in the n–6:n–3 ratio was inversely associated with concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol [β ± SE: −0.359 ± 0.107 (P = 0.001) and −0.189 ± 0.069 (P = 0.007), respectively]. Exploratory analyses showed that the intake of total n–6 PUFAs was not significantly predictive of any cardiometabolic risk factor assessed, whereas total n–3 PUFA intake was positively associated with concentrations of HDL cholesterol (β ± SE: 0.114 ± 0.042; P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the effect of n–6 and n–3 PUFA intake reflected in the ratio may be largely driven by n–3 PUFAs in reducing 2 lipid cardiometabolic risk factors among this multiethnic cohort of children. Until an ideal intake ratio is determined, nutritional counseling should focus on meeting recommended levels of both n–3 and n–6 PUFAs in order to establish beneficial childhood dietary patterns that may positively influence adult cardiometabolic health.