Fish-tastic – benefits of oily fish

Nowadays with all the marketing and access to information, most people are aware that eating oily fish regularly has many health benefits, including preventing heart disease and lowering cholesterol.  However, a recent news article went a step further and reported that oily fish can significantly cut the risk of prostate cancer death.

In the UK around 11,000 men die from prostate cancer every year.  Therefore, will increasing ones intake of salmon and mackerels really reduce the risk of dying from prostate?

The report came from a study of 525 men with prostate cancer in Sweden.  The study assessed the men’s diets in the year before they were diagnosed with the disease, and they were then followed for 20 years to identify which of them died from the prostate cancer.  The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology and was carried out by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and other research centres in the US, Iceland and Sweden

The findings illustrated that those men who had a higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, had a lower risk of having died from their prostate cancer.  Whereas men whose prostate cancer had not spread at the time of diagnosis and who had a higher rate of consumption of saturated fats (bad fats that raise cholesterol) were more likely to have died from their disease.

Although further research needs to be carried out before a firm conclusion between, oily fish and surviving prostate cancer, can be established, it is nonetheless true that foods high in omega-3 bring many health benefits.

Why is oily fish good for us?

Incorporating oily fish in our diet has been recognised as boosting our health. Not only is oily fish an excellent source of lean protein, it also contains good levels of important nutrients such as selenium, magnesium, vitamins B12, B6 and B3 and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (EFA’s).  Therefore oily fish has been identified as playing a vital role in helping to reduce the pain of arthritis, lowering blood pressure and warding off cancer and heart disease.

Tracy Parker, heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation said, “'The omega 3 in oily fish is good for overall heart health as well as improving survival levels after heart attack because of its anti-inflammatory properties, which help keep the heart blood vessels healthy”.

These fatty acids are also recognised as reducing depression, balancing hormones and are important for maintaining healthy skin.

What fish is oily and how much should we consume?

Fish such as anchovies, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and whitebait contain long-chain omega-3 fatty acids 

The Food Standard Agency (FSA) has recommendations for the amount of fish people should consume each week, and this varies for men and women.  The reason is that although oily fish is good for you, it also contains low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body. 

It is advised that men and boys consume up to four portions of oily fish a week, whereas women should have up to two portions.  Each portion is around 140g.

For further information on the benefits of oily fish, please visit the Food Standard Agency website here.  

RSPH In Conversation With… Professor Susan Michie

The Royal Society for Public Health (http://www.rsph.org.uk), with support from the Philipp Family Foundation, continues its series of podcasts, investigating key issues facing Public Health, with an international perspective.

In our interview with Professor Susan Michie, the topic is Behaviour Change, and how ”Western” lifestyles are storing up long term problems for the general population. With illustrations from the UK and around the world, Professor Michie discusses the huge economic cost of ill health, and the circumstances required to support people in making change to their lifestyles.

As the cost of health care continues to rise, and the UK Health Service is required to make substantial savings, this topic is of crucial importance. The majority of causes of ill-health are linked to people’s behaviour, whether through their lifestyle choices, their take up of vaccination and screening programmes or the way in which health care is delivered, so it is vital to learn lessons from other countries and from previous behaviour change campaigns.

You can listen to the interview with Professor Susan Michie, and previous podcasts with Professor Richard Parish and Professor Sir Michael Marmot now on the About Us page of the RSPH website or by clicking here.