Insufficient Intake of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids is Associated with Higher Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Urban and Rural Adults in Punjab, India
Poonam Bakhetia *
Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
Sukhinder Cheema
Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1C5S7, Canada.
Kiran Bains
Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To assess the association between omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among urban and rural populations of Punjab, North India.
Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study.
Place of the Study: Urban and rural areas of Punjab, India, among individuals aged 25–65 years.
Methodology: The study included 101 adults (54 men and 46 women) aged 25–65 years. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the NCEP ATP-III (2001) criteria. Dietary intake was assessed to estimate the consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Key health parameters such as blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and body measurements were recorded. In addition, the fatty acid composition of plasma red blood cells, including DHA and EPA, was analyzed. Correlation analysis was carried out to explore the relationship between n-3 PUFA intake and metabolic risk factors.
Results: The findings revealed that rural participants had a higher prevalence of elevated blood pressure and fasting blood glucose (34% men and 26% women) compared to urban participants (7% men and 10% women). Dietary analysis showed almost negligible intake of DHA and EPA among all participants, while the intake of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) was also below recommended levels. Despite this, urban participants had significantly higher levels of DHA and EPA in their red blood cells than rural individuals. Importantly, higher consumption of n-3 PUFA–rich foods was associated with better health outcomes—it was linked to lower BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and cholesterol:HDL ratio, and higher levels of protective HDL cholesterol.
Conclusion: The study suggests that low intake of n-3 PUFAs may be an important contributor to the rising risk of metabolic syndrome, especially in rural populations. Encouraging the inclusion of n-3 rich foods in daily diets could be an effective strategy to reduce this risk. However, further research is needed to confirm and expand upon these findings.
Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), rural population, urban population