According to researchers in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, over a third of adults take omega-3 supplements and are aware of their importance.
The survey study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that pregnant and breastfeeding women also took omega-3 supplements. However, some were uncertain of their requirements, highlighting the need for early advice from doctors.
The researchers say the findings demonstrate gaps in knowledge and conflicting recommendations from healthcare professionals in the countries studied, emphasizing the need for uniform public health messages.
Increasing awareness and consumption
The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED) is the only organization focused specifically on increasing the consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3s worldwide. It works with industry and healthcare professionals to raise standards and provide education.
“While awareness of omega-3 fatty acids is very high around the world—in almost all countries in Europe for example, more than 95% of the population knows about EPA and DHA omega-3s—there is still a huge gap in consumption levels,” Ellen Schutt, managing director at GOED, told NutraIngredients.
“A recent paper that looked at omega-3 blood levels around the world showed that there is a long way to go before enough of the population consumes adequate omega-3s," she said.
Schutt emphasized the importance of omega-3 for all age groups. “These fatty acids are found in every cell of the body and offer many benefits for heart, brain, eye and prenatal health,” she noted, adding that there are “50,000 published papers on omega-3s and almost 5,000 human studies, so there is a huge body of evidence supporting the benefits of omega-3s”.
Study details
Between May and October 2023, the prospective, cross-section online survey collected responses from 895 participants in the central Balkans—the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska.
The survey included questions about socio-demographics, diet, the use of conventional drugs and omega-3 supplements in adults, children and breastfeeding or pregnant women.
The findings revealed that 34.2% of participants used omega-3 supplements, with the leading reasons being insufficient intake through diet and improved immunity, followed by heart, general and brain health. This percentage is higher than studies have previously reported for omega-3 use in New Zealand (21.9%) and Australia (26.8%), researchers noted.
More than half of users took the supplements daily, most for less than three months. Approximately two-thirds of respondents reported using a dosage suggested by the person recommending the supplements, who was sometimes a health professional, friend or family member. However, the data showed that in most cases, the users made the decision by themselves to take omega-3 supplements (45.4%).
Less than half the respondents reported the supplement use to their doctor, and most purchased the products from a pharmacy store.
“Thus, health professionals (both doctors prescribing drugs and pharmacists dispensing them) should take preventive measures in order to minimize the risk of potential interactions leading to adverse effects,” the researchers wrote.
Quality and price were the top criteria for purchasing brands, and price was a limiting factor for some who did not purchase supplements, although a lack of need and interest was the main reason.
Half of the parents with infants and toddlers stated that they gave their children omega-3 supplements, and half of the pregnant participants took supplements.
Just under 42% of breastfeeding women used supplements. The study noted that breastfeeding provides omega-3 fatty acids if the mothers' intake is sufficient, but exclusively formula-fed infants must rely on the omega-3 content in individual products. Although infant nutrition is highly regulated, some products do not contain DHA, and the researchers noted the paramount importance of doctors providing this information to new mothers.
Between 20% and 30% of pregnant women were unsure about the convenience and need for omega-3 supplements, which the researchers noted “is worrying and urges the attention of health professionals.” Uncertainty was also present in lactating women.
The majority (90.4%) of respondents ate fish, and a third used supplements in addition to fish in the diet. However, the researchers found that “although the proportion of people reporting the consumption of fish is quite high, the frequency of intake cannot be classified as satisfactory.”
They also reported high adult consumption of ALA foods such as nuts and seeds but noted: “The conversion of ALA to bioactive ω-3-FA is relatively limited and should not be considered as a primary recommendation for ω-3-FA intake.”
Source: Nutrients
2025, 17(1), 122; doi: 10.3390/nu17010122
“Knowledge and Consumption Patterns of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Among the Central Balkan Population—A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study”
Authors: M. Hitl et al.
