Fish rich in Omega-3 reduces the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
Eating Fish Is Good for Health and Reduces the Risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases
The Omega-3 found in fish reduce the risk of developing chronic disorders associated with obesity, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This is confirmed by studies conducted by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States), whose results were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Confirmations from the Cold North
The research involved the Yup’ik Eskimos, an indigenous population in the Alaska territories that consumes an amount of fatty fish, rich in Omega-3, 20 times higher than the typical diet of other US populations. Although characterized by obesity rates similar to those of the rest of the US population, this group has a much lower number of type 2 diabetes cases. While the average incidence of this disease in the population is 7.7%, only 3.3% of the Yup’ik suffer from type 2 diabetes. These data recall what was observed in another northern population, the Greenland Inuit. Already 40 years ago, Jørn Dyerberg and colleagues noted that this Eskimo population, despite following a diet rich in fats – particularly fish rich in Omega-3 – had one of the lowest cardiovascular mortality rates worldwide. Since then, several studies have clarified the role of Omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Years of research confirmed that these molecules improve blood lipid levels, reduce the risk of thrombosis, promote proper vascular function, and improve blood pressure values and heart rate.
Omega-3 for Triglycerides and Inflammation
The new research involved 330 Yup’ik individuals with an average age of 45 years. At the start of the study, 70% of participants were overweight or obese. Based on the hypothesis that the low incidence of type 2 diabetes could be partly attributed to the high consumption of fish rich in Omega-3, the authors conducted blood analyses to quantify triglyceride levels, EPA, and DHA in the blood of the Yup’ik. It emerged that participants with low Omega-3 amounts had high triglyceride levels, while higher blood concentrations of EPA and DHA did not correspond to increased triglycerides. In fact, even if obese, individuals with high plasma Omega-3 had triglyceride values similar to normal-weight individuals. The same correlation was found for C-reactive protein, an important marker of inflammation. Since both triglycerides and C-reactive protein are independent indicators of the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders and, probably, diabetes, this correlation could partly explain the low incidence of this disease in the Yup’ik population. These results could have important implications for preventing diseases associated with obesity. Indeed, the authors explain that chronic intake of high levels of EPA and DHA, similar to those typical of the Yup’ik diet, could help improve the risk of diseases related to obesity.
