Regular fish consumption may help prevent heart disease

Eating fish regularly may lower the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to a new study.

Researchers looked at samples of fatty tissue from participants in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study between 1993 and 1997. Participants whose tissue had the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids—beneficial fat found in fish—were 29% less likely to develop PAD than those with the lowest levels.

PAD is a disease caused by plaque buildup in arteries, which can lead to leg pain and walking problems. It can stop leg circulation, lead to amputation, and can increase risk for heart attack and stroke.

In a September 25, 2018 Consumer Reports article, Jeremy Furtado, senior research scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said that the new study, which he was not involved in, “adds to a growing body of research that shows strong links between a diet high in fish and reduce risk of negative health outcomes.”

Read the Consumer Reports article: New Evidence That Eating Fish Helps Prevent Heart Disease

Learn more

Fish: Friend or Foe? (The Nutrition Source)