|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SAN ANTONIO, Mar 05 (Reuters Health) - There is no upper age limit on reaping the heart-healthy benefits of "fatty fish" like tuna, salmon or mackerel, researchers report.
In study of older Americans, average age 72, those who consumed fatty fish even just once a week lowered their risk of a fatal heart attack by 44% compared to the risk among those who did not opt for the fish. Researchers from the University of Washington's Cardiovascular Health Research Unit say, however, that the benefit does not extend to fried fish, which is the most common preparation method for lean fish like snapper or catfish.
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues presented the findings last week at the American Heart Association's 41st Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
The study, which is part of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Cardiovascular Health Study, has followed about 4,000 volunteers aged 65 and older since 1988. In this latest paper, Mozaffarian collected information on dietary fish intake from 348 of the study participants, all of whom were followed for more than 6 years.
Mozaffarian said that eating fatty fish increased the levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blood. Other researchers have reported that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevent heart attacks by protecting against irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. In this study, the benefit was limited to fatal heart attacks, Mozaffarian said.
Last fall, the American Heart Association issued new dietary guidelines, which recommend eating fatty fish at least twice a week.
| Health Topics | Drug Information | Dictionaries | Directories | Other Resources |
|
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
Copyright and Privacy Policy, We welcome your comments. Last updated: 06 March 2001 |