Table 3.
Reference Intervals of LC-PUFAs (% wt/wt) in Zimbabwean children aged 7–9 years
| LC-PUFAs (% wt/wt) | Median (IQR) (n = 297) | Reference Intervals 7–9 years old n = 297 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5th Percentile (90 % CI) | 97.5th Percentile (90 % CI) | ||
| Omega-3 fatty acids | |||
| ALA (18:3n-3) | 0.38 (0.29–0.47) | 0.17 (0.16 0.20) | 0.73 (0.67 0.86) |
| EPA (20:5n-3) | 0.18 (0.15–0.23) | 0.09 (0.08 0.10) | 0.37 (0.33 0.45) |
| DPA (22:5n-3) | 0.79 (0.70–0.89) | 0.53 (0.49 0.57) | 1.15 (1.07 1.26) |
| DHA (22:6n-3) | 2.14 (1.87–2.42) | 1.35 (1.26 1.46) | 2.93 (2.86 3.16) |
| Total n-3 PUFA | 3.55 (3.22–3.87) | 2.55 (2.39 2.64) | 4.64 (4.45 5.10) |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | |||
| ARA (20:4n-6) | 10.62 (9.77–11.38) | 7.85 (6.86 8.32) | 12.92 (12.57 13.55) |
| Total n-6 PUFA | 38.10 (36.72–39.39) | 33.18 (31.72 33.91) | 41.74 (41.14 42.41) |
| Other fatty acids | |||
| Total saturated | 38.55 (37.45–39.74) | 35.82 (35.51 36.12) | 42. 71 (41.50 43.18) |
| Total monounsaturated | 16.20 (15.33–17.61) | 13.75 (13.37 14.07) | 21.39 (20.23 22.04) |
| Total DMA | 3.29 (3.00–3.62) | 2.44 (1.99 2.62) | 4.15 (3.96 4.38) |
| ARA: EPA | 57.47 (44.72–72.24) | 26.51 (21.58 28.26) | 110.83 (104.50 144.63) |
| % n-3LC-PUFA: Total LC-PUFA | 18.42 (17.10 19.92) | 14.54 (14.06 14.98) | 24.56 (23.00 26.34) |
| Total n-3 LC-PUFA | 3.13 (2.83–3.49) | 2.14 (1.98 2.28) | 4.29 (4.03 4.71) |
| Total n-6 PUFA: Total n-3 PUFA ratio | 10.82 (9.83–11.79) | 7.91 (7.42 8.48) | 14.48 (14.04 15.13) |
Fatty Acids Acronyms: ALA “α-Linolenic acid”, EPA “Eicosapentaenoic acid”, DPA “Docosapentaenoic acid”, ARA Arachidonic acid”, DMA Dimethylacetal