Eating fish may cut the risk of cardiac death in half, researchers say

Jet, Jan 26, 1998

Eating a little fish may go a long way. A new study says that eating fish--even just one meal of it a week--reduces a person's risk of sudden cardiac death in half.

The study is based on data that began in 1982 and included an 11-year follow-up. It included a single evaluation of eating habits, as reported by the participants. Those who said they ate fish at least once a week had a 52 percent lower risk of sudden cardiac death than those who repored eating it less than once a month. The authors of the study said that a 4- to 6-ounce serving per week provided the protection.

They theorized that omega-3 fatty acids offer protection by helping to prevent heart-rhythm disturbances. However, the link was weakest among people who ate the dark-flesh fish, such as tuna, salmon and mackerel, which contain the highest amounts of omega-3.

The research was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

In an accompanying editorial, Daan Kromhout of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands said the study was inconclusive because it left open the possibility that something other than omega-3 may be responsible for the healthy benefits.