. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jul 15.

Published in final edited form as: Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Jan 4;66(5):600–605. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.215

Table 3.

Mean levels^a of individual plasma phospholipid fatty acids (%) by ethnic groups: MESA, n =2846

Fatty acid^b (%)	White (n =722)	Black (n =703)	Hispanic (n =709)	Chinese (n =712)
LA 18:2, n-6	20.93 ^bch	19.95 ^chw	21.97 ^bcw	22.95 ^bhw
ALA 18:3, n-3	0.18	0.17	0.18	0.17
GLA 18:3, n-6	0.120 ^bch	0.107 ^cw	0.107 ^cw	0.097 ^bhw
DGLA 20:3, n-6	3.39 ^bc	3.05 ^hw	3.48 ^bc	2.92 ^hw
AA 20:4, n-6	12.04 ^bch	13.53 ^chw	11.56 ^bcw	10.84 ^bhw
EPA 20:5, n-3
Model 1^a	0.99 ^ch	0.95 ^ch	0.75 ^bcw	1.20 ^bhw
Model 2^c	1.68	1.06	1.12	1.81
DHA 22:6, n-3
Model 1^a	3.83 ^bch	4.51 ^chw	3.58 ^bcw	4.95 ^bhw
Model 2^c	4.97	5.35	4.37 ^c	5.56 ^h

Abbreviations: AA, arachidonic acid; ALA, α-linolenic acid; b, Black; c, Chinese; DGLA, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; GLA, γ-linolenic acid; h, Hispanic; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LA, linoleic acid; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MESA, Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Difference observed between groups (P_diff≤0.01): b, c, h, w.

Adjusted for age, sex, education, field center, smoking, energy intake, physical activity, BMI, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and diabetes.

LA, ALA, GLA, DGLA, AA, EPA, DHA.

EPA and DHA levels were further adjusted for non-fried fish intake and fish oil supplements.