In a new study, researchers found that eating oily fish regularly can help prevent heart disease in high-risk individuals, such as those who already have heart disease or stroke.
The critical ingredient is omega-3 fatty acids, which researchers found was linked to a lower risk of major heart events such as heart attacks and strokes by about a sixth in high-risk people who ate two servings of fish rich in omega-3 each week.
No benefit was observed with the consumption of fish in those without heart disease or stroke.
The research was conducted by a team from McMaster University and elsewhere.
The findings were based on data from nearly 192,000 people in four studies, including about 52,000 with CVD, and is the only study conducted on all five continents.
Previous studies focused mainly on North America, Europe, China and Japan, with little information from other regions.
The team says people at low risk for cardiovascular disease can still enjoy modest protection from heart disease by eating fish rich in omega-3, but the health benefits were less pronounced than those high-risk individuals.
This analysis is based on data from several studies conducted by the team over the last 25 years.
These studies were funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, several different pharmaceutical companies, charities, the Population Health Research Institute and the Hamilton Health Sciences Research Institute.
One author of the study is Andrew Mente, associate professor of research methods, evidence, and impact.
The study is published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
