| Title: | Plasma n6 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and risk for total and cause-specific mortality: A prospective observational study from the UK Biobank |
| Journal: | American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
| Published: | 22 Aug 2024 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39181205/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.08.020 |
Publication 13168
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the major plasma n6 PUFA, linoleic acid (LA), as well as the non-LA n6 PUFAs, and total and cause-specific mortality.</p>
DESIGN: Prospective, observational, biomarker-based study.</p>
SETTING: UK Biobank.</p>
PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with complete information on baseline demographic, covariate and plasma PUFA levels and mortality outcomes were utilized (n=257,925).</p>
METHODS: Multivariable-adjusted, Cox-proportional hazards models were used to predict risk of death from all-causes, and from cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and other causes as a function of plasma LA and non-LA n6 levels, both continuously and by PUFA quintile (Q).</p>
RESULTS: Comparing LA Q5 to Q1, the hazard ratio (HR, 95% CI) for total mortality was 0.80 (0.76, 0.84; p<0.001), and this was similar for all three cause-specific death categories. On the other hand, mortality HR for non-LA n6 was 1.12 (1.08,1.17; p<0.001), and this was primarily due to increased risk for non-CVD, non-cancer deaths [HR 1.29 (1.19,1.40; p<0.001)]. Exploratory analyses among the eight next most common other causes of death suggested that both the decreased risk associated with higher LA and the increased risk associated with non-LA n6 were confined to deaths from respiratory and digestive diseases.</p>
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the profound differences in health-related outcomes related to LA and non-LA n6 PUFA levels and underscore the inappropriateness of treating n-6 PUFAs as a homogenous class with respect to health outcomes. They also support recommendations to maintain (if not increase) current LA intakes.</p>
6 Authors
- William S Harris
- Jason Westra
- Nathan L Tintle
- Aleix Sala-Vila
- Jason H Y Wu
- Matti Marklund
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