Putting fish on the menu at least twice a week could help senior citizens survive an extra two years, according to a new study from Harvard. Previous studies have shown that people who report eating fish are less susceptible to heart attacks and strokes.
In this study, researchers measured omega-3 fatty acids from fish in participants’ blood. Almost 2,700 volunteers in the Cardiovascular Health Study were at least 65 years old and healthy when the study began. Over the approximately ten years of the study, those who had the highest blood levels of EPA and DHA were less likely to die.
Participants with the highest levels of these omega-3 fats were only about half as likely to die from heart rhythm disturbances. The investigators calculate that this translates into a bit more than two more years of life expectancy for people over 65 years of age. People taking fish oil were not included in the analysis, so this conclusion applies only to helpings of fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna. [Annals of Internal Medicine, April 1, 2013]
Another recent study showed that a Mediterranean diet with an emphasis on fish rather than meat and lots of vegetables helped prevent heart attacks. The evidence all points in the same direction, so it may be time to make friends with your local fishmonger.
