More than three-quarters of the global population aren’t getting enough Omega-3, according to new research from UEA, Holland & Barrett and the University of Southampton.
The collaborative review highlights that 76 per cent of people worldwide are not meeting recommended intakes of EPA and DHA, revealing a significant global public health gap.
Prof Anne Marie Minihane, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Our research looks at recommendations for omega-3 fats and how they compare to what people are actually eating.
“We found big gaps between what’s advised and what most of us consume. To close that gap, we need easier, sustainable ways to get these important nutrients – like foods enriched with omega-3s or supplements. These changes could help more people enjoy the health benefits linked to higher intakes.
“We hope this work will help inform nutritional scientists, clinicians, food and supplement industries, policy makers and consumer communities,” she added.
Omega-3 consumption supports a healthy lifestyle throughout all stages of life – from reducing the chance of pre-term birth and supporting visual and cognitive development in infants, right through to improving cardiovascular health and immune function. It is also associated with reduced risk of depression and cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease.
This global review highlights the lack of alignment between current evidence, public health guidance and actual population intakes, and aims to address confusion around omega-3s recommendations, highlighting the health benefits of increased intake across all life stages in healthy populations.
While previous guidance often focused on key stages like pregnancy, birth or age-related disease, this publication covers all life stages, making guidance relevant and accessible for the general population.
It highlights that guidance around omega-3 intake currently varies by country, creating a significant amount of confusion across the globe and reinforces the importance of consistent evidence-based guidance.
The paper aims to support public health on a global scale and offers guidance to countries outside Europe and North America, for example in Latin America and parts of Asia including India to develop public guidelines around safe intake levels and supplementation advice.
The review found that the most frequently recommended intake for adults is 250 mg per day of combined EPA and DHA, with an additional 100–200 mg of DHA advised for pregnant women. These targets can be achieved by eating more oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, or through supplementation where needed.
The paper also identified challenges that different populations have in achieving current omega-3 recommendations, such as difficulties in meeting oily fish recommendations due to low seafood consumption, or sustainability concerns, as well as some populations having limited access to supplementation advice.
This review was conducted in partnership with Prof Philip Calder (University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine), Prof Minihane (University of East Anglia and Norwich Medical School), Fionna Page and Claire James expert dietitians from at First Page Nutrition Ltd, and Dr Cawood, Science Director at Holland & Barrett and Dr Sophie Putnam, Head of Science at Holland & Barrett.
‘An overview of national and international long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake recommendations for healthy populations’ is published in the journal Nutrition Research Reviews.