At a glance
- overall omega-3 supplement use
- 7.8%
- omega-3 supplement use in children
- 1.1%
- 20-39
- 5.4%
2012
2012
2018
| Group | Value |
|---|---|
| US adults (fish oil / omega-3 / DHA / EPA) | 7.8% |
| US children | 1.1% |
| Adults aged 20-39 (20-39) | 5.4% |
| Adults aged 40-59 (40-59) | 12.5% |
| Adults aged 60+ (60+) | 21.8% |
Key takeaways
- 7.8% of US adults used supplements containing fish oil, omega-3s, DHA, or EPA in 2012, based on the National Health Interview Survey cited by NIH ODS.
- In 2017-2018 NHANES data, omega-3 supplement use ranged from 5.4% among adults aged 20-39 to 21.8% among those aged 60 and older.
- The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that fish oil is one of the most commonly used nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements among US adults and children.
- Omega-3 supplement use, like vitamin D and multivitamin use, increases markedly with age based on NHANES data.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplements, including fish oil, DHA, and EPA products, are among the most commonly used nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements in the United States. Two national surveys document their prevalence.
The 2012 National Health Interview Survey, cited by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, found that 7.8% of US adults used supplements containing fish oil, omega-3s, DHA, or EPA. Among children, the figure was 1.1%. The NIH ODS notes that fish oil is one of the most commonly used nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements by US adults and children, consistent with industry data and other national health surveys.
For age-group breakdowns, the 2017-2018 NHANES cycle reported in NCHS Data Brief No. 399 provides the most detailed picture among adults. Omega-3 supplement use was 5.4% among adults aged 20-39, 12.5% among those aged 40-59, and 21.8% among those aged 60 and older. This represents a four-fold difference between the youngest and oldest adult age groups.
As with vitamin D and multivitamins, omega-3 supplement use rises substantially with age. Among adults aged 60 and older, more than one in five reported omega-3 supplement use in the 2017-2018 survey, making it the third most commonly used supplement type in that age group after multivitamins and vitamin D.
The figures from the two surveys (2012 NHIS and 2017-2018 NHANES) are not directly comparable because they use different methodologies and measure different product categories. The NHIS figure covers a specific category of fish oil and omega-3 products; the NHANES figure covers omega-3 fatty acid supplements as categorized by the survey's product classification system.
We report both sets of figures because together they provide a fuller picture of omega-3 supplement use in the US population. Neither source reports on the health outcomes of supplement use, only on how many people use these products.
Methodology & sources
The 7.8% figure is from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), as cited in the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Omega-3 Fatty Acids Health Professional Fact Sheet (ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional). NHIS is a cross-sectional household interview survey of the US civilian noninstitutionalized population. The age-group figures (5.4%, 12.5%, 21.8%) are from NCHS Data Brief No. 399, based on the 2017-2018 NHANES cycle, which verified supplement use via product container review. The two data sources are presented separately because they use different survey instruments and classification systems.
Sources
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements., NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
- Dietary Supplement Use Among Adults: United States, 2017-2018. NCHS Data Brief No. 399., CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Frequently asked questions
Is fish oil the same thing as an omega-3 supplement?
Fish oil is a common source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA. The 2012 NHIS figure (7.8%) covered supplements containing fish oil, omega-3s, DHA, or EPA as a combined category. Other omega-3 sources such as algal oil supplements are not always captured in the same classification. These distinctions affect how figures from different surveys should be compared.
Has omega-3 supplement use changed over time?
NCHS Data Brief No. 399 documents omega-3 use in 2017-2018 but does not provide a direct trend comparison for this specific supplement type. The 2012 NHIS and 2017-2018 NHANES figures use different survey instruments, making direct trend comparisons unreliable. Overall dietary supplement use among adults did increase significantly from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018.
Cite this page
Found this useful? Copy the citation below.
Supplements Unpacked. "Omega-3 and Fish Oil Supplement Use in the US: Prevalence Data." https://supplementsunpacked.com/statistics/omega-3-supplement-use (accessed 2026).