Eating fish in old age ‘can extend life’
6 April Daily Telegraph
Eating two portions of oily fish like mackerel per week in old age
could extend life by more than two years, according to a new study.Omega
3 fatty acids, which are found in oily fish and seafood, are good for
the heart and reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by up to 35
per cent.
This contributes to an overall decrease in the risk of early death by
27 per cent in older adults and extends life by an average of two years
and ten weeks, researchers found.
The link between Omega 3 and heart health is well established, but
the new study by experts from the Harvard School of Public Health was
the first to examine the direct link between levels of the fatty acids
in the blood and death rates.Researchers studied 16 years’ worth of
health records for 2,700 healthy American adults, all of whom were aged
65 or over and in good health.
The participants regularly gave blood samples, underwent physical
examinations and diagnostic tests, and answered surveys on their medical
history, lifestyle and overall healthy.Results showed that patients with
high levels of three types of Omega 3 fatty acid, either individually or
combined, in their blood were much less likely to die prematurely.
One type, known as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, was linked to a 40
per cent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease, especially
from arrhythmia, or a disturbed heart rhythmAnother type of Omega 3
acid, known as docosapentaenoic acid or DPA, appeared to lower the risk
of death from stroke while eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, was linked to
a lower risk of non-fatal heart attacks.Overall, patients with the
highest levels of all three fatty acid types in their blood were 27 per
cent less likely to die early from any cause, researchers reported in
the Annals of Internal Medicine journal.
Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, who led the study, said: “Although eating
fish has long been considered part of a healthy diet, few studies have
assessed blood omega-3 levels and total deaths in older adults.Our
findings support the importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for
cardiovascular health, and suggest that later in life these benefits
could actually extend the years of remaining life.
Examination of the patients’ diets revealed that the biggest boost in
Omega 3 levels came when moving from a very low intake to about 400mg
per day the equivalent of somebody who never eats oily fish starting to
have two portions a week.
Consuming higher amounts of Omega 3 only caused a slight increase in
levels of fatty acids in the blood.Dr Mozaffarian said: “The findings
suggest that the biggest bang-for-your-buck is for going from no intake
to modest intake, or about two servings of fatty fish per week.
American doctors have previously advised that healthy people should
aim to consume 500mg of Omega 3 fish oil per day, and those with heart
failure or heart disease should include between 800 and 1,000mg in their
daily diet.Mackerel, tuna and herring are among the best common sources
of “good” fatty acids, but they can also be taken as supplements,
according to the Food Standards Agency.
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