Eating oily fish 'halves rheumatoid arthritis risk'
17 Aug BBC
Eating at least one portion of oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel,
a week can halve the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, experts
believe.The findings come from a study of more than 32,000 Swedish women
and they offer another reason to follow the established dietary advice
of regularly consuming fish for good health.A fishy diet is beneficial
because it is rich in omega-3, say researchers.Omega-3 is said to
protect both the heart and the brain.
It appears to be a good anti-inflammatory agent, which would explain
how it might combat arthritis, say researchers in the journal Annals of
the Rheumatic Diseases.In the study, which spanned a decade, women who
consistently ate any type of fish at least once a week cut their risk of
developing rheumatoid arthritis by nearly a third.
And those who ate at least one portion of oily fish or four servings
of other fish each week halved their risk.
The study did not look at fish oil supplements, but experts say these
may also be beneficial.Prof Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis
Research UK, said: "We've known for some time that there is good
evidence that, in people with active arthritis, taking fish oils can
reduce the level of inflammation.
He said the study suggests that taking high levels of fish oils can
prevent inflammation from starting in the joint.
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