SynthesisThe journal of nutrition, health & aging2017
Efficacy of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation in Managing Overweight and Obesity: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.
Synthesis in The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 92 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dose-dependent effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on C-reactive protein concentrations in cardiometabolic disorders: a dose-response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Inflammopharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of Fish Oil Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight or Obese Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2021Pooled it
- Trial
- N-3 fatty acid supplementation mediates lipid profile, including small dense LDL, when combined with statins: a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial.Lipids in health and disease · 2022Trial
- Trial
- n-3 PUFA and caloric restriction diet alters lipidomic profiles in obese men with metabolic syndrome: a preliminary open study.European journal of nutrition · 2020Trial
- Curcumin and/or omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation reduces insulin resistance and blood lipids in individuals with high risk of type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial.Lipids in health and disease · 2019Trial
- Article
- Long-Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Attenuate the Severity of Obesity-Associated White Adipose Tissue and Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction.Marine drugs · 2026Review
- Improving Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation with Dietary Intake of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids-Enriched Chicken Meat: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Maternal docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation: effects and mechanisms on lipid metabolism in the offspring.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Article
- Inhaling Eugenol Inhibits NAFLD by Activating the Hepatic Ectopic Olfactory Receptor Olfr544 and Modulating the Gut Microbiota.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- The dietary ligands, omega-3 fatty acid endocannabinoids and short-chain fatty acids prevent cytokine-induced reduction of human hippocampal neurogenesis and alter the expression of genes involved in neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Article
- Effect of a Diet Supplemented with Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers in Subjects with Obesity: A Randomized Active Placebo-Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Association between abdominal obesity and nutritional supplement use among Iranian adults in the Shahedieh cohort study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Inflammation and resolution in obesity.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2025 · on this mapReview
- Erythrocyte levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of frailty after a 6-year follow-up: the Korean frailty and aging cohort study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- The Anti-Obesity Effect of Fish Oil in Diet-Induced Obese Mice Occurs via Both Decreased Food Intake and the Induction of Heat Production Genes in Brown but Not White Adipose Tissue.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Overview of the therapeutic efficacy of marine fish oil in managing obesity and associated metabolic disorders.Physiological reports · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveStudies in rodents and humans have indicated that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) may reduce weight. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate evidence for the efficacy of n-3 PUFA in managing overweight and obesity.
methodsWe performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until May 2015. Two reviewers independently determined the eligibility of studies and assessed the reporting quality of included randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
resultsA total of 11 RCTs involving 617 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Based on the meta-analysis of nine studies, a statistically nonsignificant difference was revealed in weight loss between n-3 PUFA and placebo (p=0.99; weighted mean difference [WMD]: 0.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.42 to 0.43), whereas n-3 PUFA was superior to placebo in reducing serum triglyceride levels (p=0.0007; standard median difference [Std MD]: -0.59; 95% CI -0.93 to -0.25). Based on meta-analysis of seven studies, the analysis of aggregated data showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (p=0.005; WMD: -0.53; 95% CI -0.90 to -0.16). There were no significant differences in body mass index, total serum levels of cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose levels.
conclusionsThe evidence from RCTs showed that n-3 PUFA might effectively reduce waist circumference and triglyceride levels in overweight and obese adults, but n-3 PUFA may not effectively reduce body weight. Given the small number and poor quality of RCTs included in the meta-analysis, these results are inconclusive. A large-scale, well-designed RCT is needed to further address this issue.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.