Women advised to eat fish

Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon can significantly lower the risk of a young women affected by heart disease, as reported by experts from Denmark.

The researchers found that women of childbearing age who never ate fish had a 50 percent higher risk of cardiovascular problems affected than women who frequently eat fish.

"We found evidence that although only a few times a month a woman eat fish, but they still benefit," lead investigator Marin Strom, from the Statens Serum Institute, Copenhagen.

"But it is important to stress that, to obtain the greatest benefit of fish and fish oils, women should follow the dietary recommendation to eat fish as a main dish at least twice a week," he added.

Strom and colleagues collected data 49 000 pregnant women between the years 1996-2008. Researchers asked how much and what kind of fish they eat - hoping to find out if eating certain fish help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The women aged around 15-49 years and they also asked about lifestyle and family medical history.

During the eight years of follow-up, there were 577 cardiovascular events - including hypertension, stroke and heart disease - are recorded. Five women died of cardiovascular disease.

Overall, little is known that women get intake of fish or not at all more likely to be hospitalized related to cardiovascular disease than those who frequently eat fish.

The researchers also noted, associated cardiovascular risk three times higher in women who never ate fish than women who consumed fish high in omega-3, at least once a week.

"The best source for omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, and Greenland halibut," said Strom.

According to Strom, these previous studies only focused on men, and not women. "This is the first study that focuses exclusively on women of childbearing age," he said.

Source: health.kompas.com