Increased Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake Is Associated with Low Grip Strength in Elderly Korean Females

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have anti-inflammatory properties and have recently been considered essential factors for maintaining muscle health. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between omega-3 fatty acid intakes and sarcopenia by assessing grip strength in elderly Koreans who are at risk of sarcopenia. This study was conducted on 5529 individuals (2449 males and 3080 females) aged ≥65 years from the raw data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2019. In this study, we analyzed the association between EPA and DHA intake, calculated from a 24-h recall method data, and grip strength, a diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia. The cut-off values for low grip strength were <26 kg for males and <18 kg for females, which were set for the Asian population. The results indicated that elderly females consuming EPA and DHA below the adequate intake (AI) had significantly lower grip strength (p < 0.0001) and, had a higher percentage contribution from carbohydrates, but a significantly lower percentage contribution from protein (p < 0.0001), compared to elderly females consuming EPA and DHA at or above the AI. In addition, after adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of low grip strength were 0.777 times lower among elderly females consuming EPA and DHA at or above the AI than those consuming EPA and DHA below the AI (95% confidence interval: 0.616–0.979, p = 0.0322). These results suggest that sufficient intake of EPA and DHA is pivotal to mitigate a reduction in grip strength and to improve the quality of nutrient intake among elderly females.