Skip to main content

Table 3 Reference Intervals of LC-PUFAs (% wt/wt) in Zimbabwean children aged 7–9 years

From: Dried blood spot omega-3 and omega-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in 7–9 year old Zimbabwean children: a cross sectional study

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)

  1. Fatty Acids Acronyms: ALA “α-Linolenic acid”, EPA “Eicosapentaenoic acid”, DPA “Docosapentaenoic acid”, ARA Arachidonic acid”, DMA Dimethylacetal