Hispanic people with a high percentage of American Indigenous ancestry are at increased risk of a nutritional deficiency that could affect their heart health and contribute to harmful inflammation, new research suggests.
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and their collaborators have linked American Indigenous ancestry with increased risk of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency among Hispanic Americans. Found in foods such as fatty fish and certain nuts, omega-3s are thought to be important in preventing heart disease and play an important role in the immune system.
Doctors can use the new findings, the researchers say, to identify Hispanic patients at risk of omega-3 deficiency and to help them correct the problem with nutritional guidance or supplements. This could help the patients avoid heart problems and other health issues down the road.
“Our research provides a path toward precision nutrition in which dietary recommendations can be tailored to an individual’s genetic background,” said researcher Ani Manichaikul, of UVA’s Center for Public Health Genomics and Department of Public Health Sciences.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The new findings underscore the need for doctors to look beyond simple racial and ethnic classifications, the researchers say. The results are an important reminder that there is tremendous genetic diversity within patient populations, and particularly among Hispanic Americans, the scientists note.
In a new scientific paper outlining their findings, the researchers describe how most Hispanic Americans have ancestry that is either predominantly European and American Indigenous or predominantly European and African. Members of the former group often trace their family roots to Mexico, Central America or South America, while members of the latter primarily have their roots in Cuba, the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico.
To better understand the potential effect of American Indigenous ancestry on the body’s ability to process omega-3s, the researchers looked at naturally occurring variations in a particular cluster of genes in 1,102 Hispanic-American study participants. This gene cluster, known as the fatty acid desaturase cluster, or FADS, helps determine how the body uses both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
The scientists concluded that the gene variations most associated with low fatty acid levels occurred much more frequently in Hispanic people with greater American Indigenous ancestry. These variations were also associated with increased levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood, and with several other metabolic and inflammatory traits as well.
