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Topical Area: Aging and Chronic Disease

Aging and Chronic Disease (Poster Session)

(P23-005-23) Association of the Prevalence of Low Lean Mass and Muscle Mass With the Intake of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Fish in Korean Older Women

Monday, July 24, 2023
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 5
Disclosure(s):
Soomin Baik, Master: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Jeongmin Lee, Master: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Sarcopenia, an age-associated loss of muscle mass and, strength, or performance has become a serious health issue among older men and women. The effects of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and fish on the risk of sarcopenia and muscle mass remain unclear. The present study investigated the hypothesis that consumption of n-3 PUFAs and fish was negatively associated with the prevalence of low lean mass (LLM) and positively correlated with muscle mass in older men and women.

Methods: Using the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011 consisted of a health interview survey, health examination survey, and nutrition survey, 1,620 men and 2,192 women aged over 65 years were analyzed in the present study. Low lean mass was defined as appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by body mass index < 0.789 kg for men and < 0.512 kg for women.

Results: Women and men with LLM consumed less eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and fish. In women, but not in men, the prevalence of LLM was associated with the intake of EPA and DHA (odds ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.90; p = 0.002), and fish (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.82; p < 0.001). Muscle mass was also positively associated with the intake of EPA and DHA (p = 0.026), and fish (p = 0.005) in women, but not in men. Intake of α-linolenic acid was not associated with the prevalence of LLM and not correlated with muscle mass in older men and women.

Conclusions: The present study showed that consumption of high levels of EPA and DHA, and fish were negatively associated with the prevalence of LLM, and positively correlated with muscle mass in Korean older women, but not in older men.

Funding Sources: This study was supported by the BK21 FOUR (Fostering Outstanding Universities for Research) project of the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant and a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean Government (MSIT).