314616 Anti-inflammatory Effects of Omega 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Course overview

According to the CDC, obesity is associated with reduced quality of life and mental health outcomes, as well as being a major contributing factor towards the leading causes of death in the U.S. Insulin resistance plays a key role in the development of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and Type II diabetes mellitus. These three conditions pose a high risk in the development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, chronic renal failure, and retinopathy. In the United States, obesity rates are increasing, leading to a multitude of negative health effects, including increased health care costs. Because supplementing a high-fat diet with an omega-3 fatty acid, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has shown to prevent and reverse diet-induced obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance, this could be of benefit to a large amount of the patient population. By educating nurses and practitioners regarding these findings and data, nurses may then educate patients regarding the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, achieving better patient outcomes.