Eicosapentaenoic Acid/Arachidonic Acid Ratio in Japanese Junior High School Students

Background This epidemiological study investigated the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/arachidonic acid (AA) ratio (EAR) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/AA ratio (DAR) in ninth-graders in Japan. Methods A total of 175 ninth-grade children from Tsunan Town (boys/girls, 115/60) were enrolled in the study between 2015 and 2017. All participants were assessed during annual health check-ups to determine their EAR and DAR. All data were compared between boys and girls using the Mann-Whitney test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to describe the strengths of correlation between the EAR, DAR, and relevant parameters. Results The median (minimum, maximum) EAR and DAR of all participants were 0.13 (0.05, 0.46) and 0.47 (0.25, 0.84), respectively. There was no significant difference in the EAR between boys and girls at 0.12 (0.05, 0.46) and 0.13 (0.06, 0.27) (P = 0.375), respectively. In addition, the DAR was not significantly different (P = 0.125). There was a significant positive correlation between EAR and triglyceride, BMI, and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR but a significantly negative correlation with HbA1c (r = -0.209, P = 0.006). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between DAR and any parameters. Conclusions This is the first epidemiological study investigating the EAR using a population-based cohort of Japanese adolescents. The EAR in boys/girls in Japan is 0.12 (0.05, 0.46)/0.13 (0.06, 0.27). The study results suggest that children with a healthy diet may generally have a lower average blood glucose level.