Karolinska Institutet research shows that people with a family history of cardiovascular disease can reduce their risk by consuming more fatty fish, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The findings are based on analysis of data from more than 40,000 individuals.
A recent study conducted by Karolinska Institutet was published in the journal Circulation This suggests that some people have a family history of cardiovascular disease You may benefit from increasing your intake of oily fish.
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid. acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These essential fatty acids are essential for a variety of bodily functions, but cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet. Research consistently emphasizes the importance of omega-3s in everyone’s diet.
Research focused on cardiovascular disease and diet
This large international study shows that this treatment is likely to be especially important for people with a family history of cardiovascular disease. The cardiovascular diseases the researchers looked at include fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease, including unstable angina, heart attack, cardiac arrest, and cerebral infarction (stroke).
“Cardiovascular disease is heritable to some extent, as twin studies have shown, but the controlling genes have been difficult to identify. So the leading hypothesis is that it’s a combination of genetics and environment.” ” says Karin Leander, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, and lead researcher on the study. .
So she and her colleagues looked at the interaction effects between family history and dietary intake. The study collected data on more than 40,000 people without cardiovascular disease.
research result
Approximately 8,000 of these people had cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period. Researchers’ analysis shows that people who have a close relative such as a parent or sibling with cardiovascular disease and who have low levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. I was able to do that. More than 40%. Those who had a close family member with only cardiovascular disease had a 25% increased risk.
“This study suggests that people with a family history of cardiovascular disease may benefit more from eating more fatty fish than others” Karin Leander he says.
Objective measurement and new knowledge
EPA/DHA levels were measured in all study participants. Since these fatty acids cannot be produced by the body, this level is a reliable measure of dietary intake of fatty fish, says Karin Leander.
“The fact that measuring fatty acids in blood and tissues is objective, as opposed to self-reported data on dietary habits, is an important advantage,” she says.
Therefore, despite being an observational study in an area already replete with randomized clinical trials, these findings represent entirely new knowledge, says Karin Leander.
“We are the first researchers to use fatty acid measurements to study the combined effects of family history and fatty fish intake,” she says.
Reference: “The role of polyunsaturated fats in modifying cardiovascular risk associated with family history of cardiovascular disease: pooled de novo results from 15 observational studies” F. Laguzzi, A. Åkesson, M. Marklund, F. Qian, B. Gigante, T.M. Bartz, J.K. Bassett, A. Birkov, H. Campos, Y. Hirakawa, F. Imamura, S. Jaeger, M. Lankinen, R.A. Murphy, M. Sen, T. Tanaka, N. Tintor, J.K. Virtanen, K. Yamagishi, M. Allison, IA Brouwer, U. de Vere, G. Eriksdottir, L. Ferrucci, NG Forouhi, JM Gereinse, AM Hodge, H. Kimura. , M. Laakso, U. Riselas, AC van Westing, S. Bandinelli, A. Beilin, GG Giles, V. Gudnason, H. Iso, RN Lemaître, T. Ninomiya, WS Post, BM Pusati, JT Salonen, MB Schultz, MY Tsai, M. Wusitupa, NJ Wareham, SW Oh, AC Wood, WS Harris, D. Siscovick, D. Mozaffarian, K. Leander, Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE), December 4, 2023. Circulation.
DOI: 10.1161/circulationAHA.123.065530
The study was conducted by the Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE), a network of over 100 researchers and experts from around the world. The study includes data from 15 of his studies conducted in 10 countries.
The researchers declare that no conflicts of interest exist. This study was funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation.