A diet high in fish seems to protect against heart disease, according to an international study by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Health.
Middle-aged Japanese men living in Japan had a lower incidence of coronary artery calcification, which is a predictor of heart disease, when compared to middle-aged white men living in the United States. The likely reason for the difference? Higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, according to the research, which will be published in the journal Heart.
“Multiple studies have looked at the effect of fish oil on cardiovascular health, with mixed results,” lead study author Dr. Akira Sekikawa said in a prepared statement. “Previous studies investigated substantially lower intake of omega-3 fatty acids than what people in Japan actually get through their diet.”
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, especially oily fish, may help reduce inflammation and slow the formation of fatty plaques in arteries in the heart. Pitt researchers partnered with scientists in Japan, Hawaii and Philadelphia to follow nearly 300 men for five years, tracking multiple factors that affect heart health, including smoking, cholesterol level and alcohol consumption.
The average dietary intake of fish by Japanese people living in Japan is nearly 100 grams each day, roughly 1.5 servings. The average American eats about 7 to 13 grams of fish a day, or about one serving per week.