No major role for fish in the prevention of heart failure page

[SerialSinner]

I keep getting these primal-related news on my feed subscriptions. Enjoy.
[quote]

"Scientists and health authorities are increasingly persuaded that the intake of fish - even in small amounts - will protect against the risk of fatal myocardial infarction," said study investigator Dr Marianne Geleinjse from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. "However, there is no strong evidence that eating fish will protect against heart failure. One study has suggested that this might be so, but we could not confirm it in our cohort study of older Dutch people."</blockquote>


http://bit.ly/1mhTbm

[kuno1chi]

"... but even for a high daily fish consumption of more than 20 grams a day there appeared no added protection against heart failure..."


20 grams is less than an ounce of fish. What did they expect??? What else were these people eating.


I think I&#39;ll keep on taking my fish oil for the time being ;-)

[SerialSinner]

So many variables not taken into account...

Farmed vs. wild fish, the thermolability or fish oils, additional dietary characteristics, etc, etc

[kuno1chi]

Indeed.

[Tarlach]

There was a massive systematic review earlier in the year for dietary causes of heart disease.


I&#39;m surprised we haven&#39;t heard more about it...

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/7/659


It seems that there is moderate evidence of association between fish consumption and CHD. (I&#39;d like to see more about all of the correlations if anyone finds any info)


Highly correlated harmful factors are trans fats and high GI food.


So much for tubers not being bad for you. They seem like a great way to get CHD.

[erik.cisler]

How, then, do you explain the Kitava? 69% of their calories from starchy tubers and undetectable levels of disease? Of course, they also ate a fair amount of saturated coconut fat.


I think tubers and starches become problematic for the insulin resistant (which is much of the developed world, I&#39;ll grant you!), but healthy, active individuals (athletes, really) can probably safely eat them.

[NorthernMonkeyGirl]

The trouble with dietary studies is too much variability - in the fish/food of study, the overall diet, the metabolism of participants, the measurements of "results", statistical studies.......


There aint never gonna be a definitive answer!


So I think I&#39;ll stick to foods that I enjoy and make me feel physically better; then whatever happens long term I&#39;ve had an enjoyable healthy life. I hope!

[Annika]

I just want to point out that this study looked at the effect of fish consumption on heart FAILURE, not heart attack or any other form of heart disease. As stated in the quote SerialSinner posted above, scientists do believe fish protects against heart attacks (myocardial infarction). Many people not in the healthcare field lump heart failure, heart attack, and cardiac arrest together, when in fact they are three very different things. I didn&#39;t want anyone to get the wrong idea from the study.

[Godzilla]

Annika, you brought up a very good point. Thanks.