(16-02-13) Fetal growth, omega-3 (n−3) fatty acids, and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis: preventing fetal origins of disease?

Fetal growth, omega-3 (n−3) fatty acids, and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis: preventing fetal origins of disease? The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study1,2,3
1. Michael R Skilton,
2. Vera Mikkil?,
3. Peter W?rtz,
4. Mika Ala-Korpela,
5. Kyra A Sim,
6. Pasi Soininen,
7. Antti J Kangas,
8. Jorma SA Viikari,
9. Markus Juonala,
10. Tomi Laitinen,
11. Terho Lehtim?ki,
12. Leena Taittonen,
13. Mika K?h?nen,
14. David S Celermajer, and
15. Olli T Raitakari
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Author Affiliations
1. 1From the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders (MRS and KAS) and Sydney Medical School (DSC), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; the Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, Division of Nutrition (VM), and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (PW), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Computational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine (PW, MA-K, PS, and AJK), the Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Research Center (MA-K), and the Department of Pediatrics (LT), University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom (MA-K); the NMR Metabolomics Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (MA-K and PS); the Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland (JSAV and MJ); the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland (MJ and OTR); the Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland (T Laitinen); the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland (T Lehtim?ki); the Department of Pediatrics, Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland (LT); the Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland (MK); and the Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland (OTR).
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Author Notes
? ↵2 The Young Finns Study has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland (grants 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378, 117797, and 41071); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kuopio (Tampere grants 9M048 and 9N035 to T Lehtim?ki); Turku University Hospital Medical Funds; Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation of Cardiovascular Research and Finnish Cultural Foundation; Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; and Emil Aaltonen Foundation. This work was also supported by the Academy of Finland (grant 250422 to PW and grant 137870 to PS), the Responding to Public Health Challenges Research Programme of the Academy of Finland (grant 129429 to MA-K), the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research (to PW and MA-K), the Strategic Research Funding from the University of Oulu (MA-K), and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation (AJK). MRS was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia fellowship (grant 1004474).
? ↵3 Address correspondence and reprint requests to MR Skilton, Department of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown NSW 2050. E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Background: Impaired fetal growth is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in adulthood. Prevention strategies that can be implemented during adulthood have not been identified.
Objective: The objective was to determine whether habitual omega-3 (n−3) fatty acid intake is associated with the rate of increase of carotid intima-media thickness during adulthood in individuals with impaired fetal growth.
Design: This was a population-based, prospective cohort study of 1573 adults in Finland. Carotid intima-media thickness was assessed in 2001 (at ages 24?39 y) and in 2007. Participants were categorized as having had impaired fetal growth (term birth with birth weight <10th percentile for sex or preterm birth with birth weight <25th percentile for gestational age and sex; n = 193) or normal fetal growth (all other participants; n = 1380). Omega-3 fatty acid intake was assessed by using a food-frequency questionnaire and on the basis of serum fatty acid concentrations.
Results: In multivariable models, the 6-y progression of carotid intima-media thickness was inversely associated with dietary omega-3 fatty acids in those with impaired fetal growth (P = 0.04). Similarly, serum omega-3 fatty acid concentrations were inversely associated with the 6-y progression of carotid intima-media thickness in those with impaired fetal growth (P = 0.04) but were not noted in those with normal fetal growth (P = 0.94 and P = 0.26, respectively).
Conclusion: Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with a slower rate of increase in carotid intima-media thickness in those with impaired fetal growth.

Source: Am J Clin Nutr January 2013 vol. 97 no. 1 58-65

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