EFA study in Vegetarians and Vegans

As a new study warns of Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) levels in vegetarians and vegans a London Nutritionist warns veggies to eat a balanced diet.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston BSc Dip ION MBANT, a London based Nutrition Consultant from Foods For Life says " The good news is that despite lower levels it doesn't seem to be a dangerous problem as long term vegans and vegetarians don't appear to be any more worse off than new converts"

"There is an issue here though , especially for those people planning children and for vegetarian mothers during pregnancy, birth and breast feeding"

"Vegetarians and vegans should ensure they eat EFA rich foodssuch as flax and hempseeds or take a algae based DHA supplement."

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men -- Rosell et al. 82 (2): 327 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Long-chain n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men1,2,3
Magdalena S Rosell, Zoue Lloyd-Wright, Paul N Appleby, Thomas AB Sanders, Naomi E Allen and Timothy J Key
1 From the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom (MSR, PNA, NEA, and TJK), and the Nutrition, Food and Health Research Center, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (ZL-W and TABS)
Background: Plasma concentrations of long-chain n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are lower in vegetarians and in vegans than in omnivores. No data are available on whether these concentrations differ between long- and short-term vegetarians and vegans.
Objectives: We compared plasma fatty acid composition in meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans and examined whether the proportions of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n3; EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n3; DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3; DHA) were related to the subjects' duration of adherence to their diets or to the proportions of plasma linoleic acid (18:2n6; LA) and -linolenic acid (18:3n-3; ALA).
Design: The present cross-sectional study included 196 meat-eating, 231 vegetarian, and 232 vegan men in the United Kingdom. Information on anthropometry, diet, and smoking habits was obtained through a questionnaire. Total fatty acid composition in plasma was measured.
Results: The proportions of plasma EPA and DHA were lower in the vegetarians and in the vegans than in the meat-eaters, whereas only small differences were seen for DPA. Plasma EPA, DPA, and DHA p"