Omega-3 Deficiency Can Be Deadly: Research
Low omega-3 (seafood) intake plays a role in about 84,000 deathsa nnually, according to new research supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We’ve known for a long time that Americans don’t eat enough seafood for optimum health,” noted Jennifer McGuire a registered dietitian and manager of nutrition communications for the Washington-based National Fisheries Institute. “With this report, we are finally seeing the effect of that deficiency in black and white.”
Published by the Public Library of Science, the report, which is available at http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000058, found that most deaths linked to a lack of healthy omega-3s are from heart diseases.
“The study lays out how a diet low in seafood and omega-3s is responsible for more deaths than the much-hyped trans fats,” said McGuire.
Researchers from Harvard University, University of Toronto, University of Dresden and the University of Washington concluded in the study that “[t]he risk factors in this analysis can be influenced through both individual-level and population-wide interventions,” and that those efforts should be a “high priority.”
“The problems studied in this assessment can be prevented,” stressed McGuire. “Encouraging people to eat more fish, and showing them how to do that, can literally save lives. It’s important that not only consumers recognize this, but [also] those who make nutrition policy too.”
“We’ve known for a long time that Americans don’t eat enough seafood for optimum health,” noted Jennifer McGuire a registered dietitian and manager of nutrition communications for the Washington-based National Fisheries Institute. “With this report, we are finally seeing the effect of that deficiency in black and white.”
Published by the Public Library of Science, the report, which is available at http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000058, found that most deaths linked to a lack of healthy omega-3s are from heart diseases.
“The study lays out how a diet low in seafood and omega-3s is responsible for more deaths than the much-hyped trans fats,” said McGuire.
Researchers from Harvard University, University of Toronto, University of Dresden and the University of Washington concluded in the study that “[t]he risk factors in this analysis can be influenced through both individual-level and population-wide interventions,” and that those efforts should be a “high priority.”
“The problems studied in this assessment can be prevented,” stressed McGuire. “Encouraging people to eat more fish, and showing them how to do that, can literally save lives. It’s important that not only consumers recognize this, but [also] those who make nutrition policy too.”