High Omega-3 Consumption Raises Diabetes Risk in Women

Women who are not overweight and consume more than 1.6 g of omega-3 fatty acids daily have a 38% higher risk of type 2 diabetes than other women, according to a new study.

The results of the study were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes General Assembly held in Munich, Germany, September 12-16, 2016.

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Omega-3 fatty acids are known to improve bodily functions and have other health benefits. However, the effects of omega-3 and other fatty acids on the development of type 2 diabetes are controversial.

To better understand the effects, the researchers assessed data from 71,334 women participating in the prospective E3N cohort study in France.

At baseline in 1993, the women completed dietary questionnaires about their fatty acid consumption. The researchers used health questionnaires and drug reimbursement claims to record diabetes onset.

The women were categorized based on body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 kg/m² (overweight) or less than 25 kg/m².

After an average 14-year follow-up, the researchers found that women who were not overweight and consumed the highest amount of fatty acids (more than 15.3 g daily) had a 22% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with those who consumed the least amount of fatty acids (12 g daily).

An analysis of omega-3 intake, specifically, found that overweight women who consumed the highest amount (at least 1.6 g daily) had a 26% increased risk, whereas women who were not overweight and consumed the highest amount had a 38% increased risk compared with those who consumed the least amount (less than 1.3 g daily).

“Different polyunsaturated fatty acids appear to have different effects regarding the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the researchers concluded. “A high consumption of docosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Dow C, Mangin M, Balkau B, et al. Fatty acid consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: evidence from the E3N cohort study. Paper presented at: European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2016 Annual Meeting; September 12-16, 2016; Munich, Germany. http://www.easdvirtualmeeting.org/resources/fatty-acid-consumption-and-incident-type-2-diabetes-evidence-from-the-e3n-cohort-study-bb9e95e8-ccad-47f5-9f76-094b719e7767. Accessed September 15, 2016.