"Our lab and others have shown that omega-3 fatty acids helppromote bone formation," reports Bruce Watkins, professor and directorof Purdue's Center for Enhancing Foods to Protect Health. "We also haveshown that higher intakes of omega-6 fatty acids lead to an increasedproduction of compounds associated with bone loss."
While both types of fats are essential for human health, dietswith a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids often areassociated with cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammatory andautoimmune diseases. A low ratio, however, is believed to promotecardiovascular health, improve memory and, as the study demonstrates,protect bone health.
"We saw in this study that omega-3 fatty acids are associatedwith a better blood profile of bone health, and with higher bonemineral density, in the absence of estrogen," Watkins notes. "Afive-to-one dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids led to aconservation of bone mineral content that we didn't see with a10-to-one ratio."
The average American's dietary ratio is approximately 10 toone, which is inflated by the types of foods people eat and the methodsused to produce those foods, especially those containing vegetableoils. "Our foods are different today than they were yesterday," hesays. "Omega-6 fatty acids have been an important part of our diet, butover the past 80 years, the human diet has shifted in a way thatincreased the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids."
The omega-6 fatty acids in today's animal feed incorporateright into the animals' tissues, where they become part of the eggs,poultry, meats and pork served in households and restaurants across thecountry.
Source: USA Today. Poweredby Yellowbrix
