Assessing Omega-3 Intake in Sport: the Brief Food Frequency Questionnaire and the Omega-3 Index in Collegiate Women Soccer Players

Context: Omega-3 fatty acids modulate inflammatory pro-cesses and are considered beneficial for sport populations, highlighting a need to assess omega-3 intake in a practical manner. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are inexpen-sive, noninvasive tools aimed at evaluating nutrient intakes such as omega-3 fatty acids. In healthy adults, a tailored, brief FFQ for estimating omega-3 intake was associated with the erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acid level, a biomarker for omega-3 tissue status and indicative of intake. However, the association between a brief omega-3 FFQ and erythrocyte levels, particu-larly the Omega-3 Index (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], doco-sahexaenoic acid [DHA], and EPA + DHA), has yet to be explored in a sport population.Objective: To examine the association between omega-3 intake using a brief FFQ and the Omega-3 Index in collegiate women soccer players.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: University sport team.Patients or Other Participants: Thirty-one National Colle-giate Athletic Association Division I collegiate women soccer players.Main Outcome Measure(s): The brief omega-3 FFQ assessed dietary omega-3 intake: DHA and EPA. The Omega-Quant blood test measured erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acid (EPA, DHA) and Omega-3 Index (EPA + DHA) levels.Results: Brief FFQ intakes of EPA, DHA, and EPA + DHA were positively correlated with the erythrocyte EPA (r= 0.48, P= .007), DHA (r = 0.73, P < .001), and Omega-3 Index (r = 0.73, P < .001).Conclusions: In a sample of collegiate women soccer players, the brief omega-3 FFQ was correlated with erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acid levels and may offer health practitioners a practical tool for assessing omega-3 intake in this collegiate sport population.

Automated summary

In a sample of collegiate women soccer players, the brief omega-3 FFQ was correlated with erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acid levels and may offer health practitioners a practical tool for assessing omega-3 intake in this collegiate sport population.