| Wheeze* | Asthma* | Other respiratory symptoms* | COPD (GOLD stage 2 or higher)* | |||||
| OR† (95% CI) | p Value | OR† (95% CI) | p Value | OR† (95% CI) | p Value | OR† (95% CI) | p Value | |
| n-3 fatty acids | ||||||||
| c18:3 (n-3) α-Linolenic acid | 1.2 (1.0 to 1.4) | 0.009 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.4) | 0.02 | 1.2 (0.8 to 1.7) | 0.42 | 1.07 (0.74 to 1.55) | 0.49 |
| c20:5 (n-3) Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) | 1.2 (1.1 to 1.5) | 0.005 | 1.2 (1.0 to 1.3) | 0.13 | 1.3 (1.0 to 1.7) | 0.26 | 0.84 (0.63 to 1.11) | 0.19 |
| c22:5 (n-3) docosapentainoic acid (DPA3) | 1.3 (1.1 to 1.5) | 0.008 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.2) | 0.71 | 1.3 (0.9 to 1.7) | 0.55 | 0.75 (0.56 to 0.99) | 0.11 |
| c22:6 (n-3) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) | 1.2 (1.0 to 1.4) | 0.007 | 1.1 (1.0 to 1.3) | 0.23 | 1.0 (0.8 to 1.4) | 0.96 | 0.95 (0.71 to 1.25) | 0.50 |
| n-6 fatty acids | ||||||||
| c18:2 (n-6) Linoleic acid | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.4) | 0.27 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.28 | 0.8 (0.6 to 1.2) | 0.44 | 0.95 (0.68 to 1.34) | 0.27 |
| c20:2 (n-6) Eicosadienoic acid | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.32 | 0.9 (0.8 to 1.1) | 0.22 | 1.4 (1.0 to 1.9) | 0.13 | 1.85 (1.32 to 2.58) | 0.001 |
| c20:3 (n-6) Eicosatrienoic acid or dihomo-gamma linolenic acid | 1.0 (0.8 to 1.2) | 0.61 | 0.9 (0.7 to 1.0) | 0.10 | 1.3 (1.0 to 1.9) | 0.07 | 1.56 (1.12 to 2.17) | 0.01 |
| c20:4 (n-6) Arachidonic acid | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.16 | 1.2 (1.0 to 1.4) | 0.14 | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.5) | 0.49 | 1.63 (1.20 to 2.22) | 0.002 |
| c22:n-6 Docosatetraenoic acid (DTA) | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.2) | 0.82 | 1.0 (0.9 to 1.2) | 0.78 | 1.3 (0.9 to 1.8) | 0.15 | 1.65 (1.22 to 2.22) | 0.001 |
| c22:5 (n-6) docosapentaenoic acid (DPA6) | 1.0 (0.8 to 1.1) | 0.81 | 0.8 (0.7 to 1.0) | 0.01 | 1.2 (0.9 to 1.7) | 0.42 | 0.71 (0.53 to 0.96) | 0.036 |
| Trans fatty acid | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.3) | 0.40 | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.4) | 0.25 | 1.3 (0.8 to 1.8) | 0.58 | 1.38 (0.95 to 2.02) | 0.15 |
*Wheeze was defined as wheeze in the past 12 months. Asthma was defined as a self-reported doctor diagnosis. Other respiratory symptoms was defined by having one or more of the following symptoms: chronic cough (cough during the winter time on most days for at least 3 months), chronic phlegm (productive cough during the winter time for at least 3 months a year) or breathlessness (shortness of breath when walking on level ground with people of same age), and COPD defined as GOLD stage 2 or higher.
†Adjusted age, age squared, sex, smoking, pack-year, height, body mass index and energy intake.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.