Writing in the journal Nutrients — An Increase in the Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty Acid Ratio Increases the Risk for Obesity, investigators say, “in the past three decades, total fat and saturated fat intake, as a percentage of total calories has continuously decreased in Western diets, while the intake of omega-6 fatty acid increased and the omega-3 fatty acid decreased, resulting in a large increase in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio from 1:1 during evolution to 20:1 today or even higher.”
The higher Omega-6 intake sets the stage for a pro-inflammatory environment, which contributes to an increased risk to atherosclerosis, obesity, and diabetes – while an increased intake of omega-3 food sources, promotes a lower risk these diseases. Researchers point out that Omega-6s increase the storage of triglycerides – a blood fat – while the omega-3 fatty acids reduce fat deposition by dissipating energy from triglycerides.