(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jyrki Virtanen
jyrki.virtanen@uef.fi
358-294-454-542
University of Eastern Finland
Fish derived serum omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
High concentrations of serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a University of Eastern Finland study published recently in Diabetes Care. The sources of these fatty acids are fish and fish oils.
Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world, including Finland. Overweight is the most significant risk factor, which means that diet and other lifestyle factors play important roles in the development of type 2 diabetes. Earlier research has established that weight management, exercise and high serum linoleic acid concentrations, among other things, are associated with reduced risk of diabetes. However, findings on how fish consumption or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids affect the risk of diabetes have been highly contradictory. A protective link has mainly been observed in Asian populations, whereas a similar link has not been observed in European or US studies – and some studies have even linked a high consumption of fish to increased diabetes risk.
Ongoing at the University of Eastern Finland, the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) determined the serum omega-3 fatty acid concentrations of 2,212 men between 42 and 60 years of age at the onset of the study, in 1984–1989.
During a follow-up of 19.3 years, 422 men were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acid concentrations were used to divide the subjects into four categories. The risk of men in the highest serum omega-3 fatty acid concentration quarter to develop type 2 diabetes was 33% lower than the risk of men in the lowest quarter.
The study sheds new light on the association between fish consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes. A well-balanced diet should include at least two fish meals per week, preferably fatty fish. Fish rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, rainbow trout, vendace, bream, herring, anchovy, sardine and mackerel, whereas for example saithe and Atlantic cod are not so good alternatives. Weight management, increased exercise and a well-rounded diet built around dietary recommendations constitute the cornerstones of diabetes prevention.
###
For further information, please contact:
Jyrki Virtanen, PhD, Docent in Nutritional Epidemiology, University of Eastern Finland Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, tel. +358 2944 54542, jyrki.virtanen@uef.fi
Research article:
Serum Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes in Men: The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study
Jyrki K. Virtanen, Jaakko Mursu, Sari Voutilainen, Matti Uusitupa, Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen
Diabetes Care 2014;37(1):189-96.
Fish derived serum omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
2014-01-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Mindfulness helps undergraduates stay on track
2014-01-14
Mindfulness helps undergraduates stay on track
UM researchers find that mindfulness training significantly reduces mind wandering in college students, promoting learning and improving academic achievement
Coral Gables, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2014) -- Few situations ...
New breast cancer stem cell findings explain how cancer spreads
2014-01-14
New breast cancer stem cell findings explain how cancer spreads
Researchers identify 2 types of cancer stem cells; both necessary to create metastasis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Breast cancer stem cells exist in two different states and each state plays ...
American Chemical Society podcast: Small dams create greenhouse gas 'hot spots'
2014-01-14
American Chemical Society podcast: Small dams create greenhouse gas 'hot spots'
The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series questions the "green" reputation of small hydroelectric ...
Short circuit in molecular switch intensifies pain
2014-01-14
Short circuit in molecular switch intensifies pain
While searching for novel painkillers, researchers at KU Leuven in Belgium came to the surprising conclusion that some candidate drugs actually increase pain. In a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, ...
Younger people have 'high definition' memories
2014-01-14
Younger people have 'high definition' memories
Researchers look at age-related differences on how memories are stored and retrieved
It's not that younger people are able to remember more than older people. Their memories seem better because they are able to retrieve ...
UNC researchers harness sun's energy during day for use at night
2014-01-14
UNC researchers harness sun's energy during day for use at night
Solar energy has long been used as a clean alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and oil, but it could only be harnessed during the day when the sun's rays were strongest. ...
Regenstrief and IU review finds lack of delirium screening in the emergency department
2014-01-14
Regenstrief and IU review finds lack of delirium screening in the emergency department
INDIANAPOLIS -- Delirium in older patients in an emergency room setting can foretell other health issues. But according to a new study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, ...
Dance and virtual reality: A promising treatment for urinary incontinence in elderly women
2014-01-14
Dance and virtual reality: A promising treatment for urinary incontinence in elderly women
This news release is available in French. Virtual reality, dance and fun are not the first things that come to mind when we think of treating urinary ...
Brain structure shows who is most sensitive to pain
2014-01-14
Brain structure shows who is most sensitive to pain
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Jan. 14, 2014 – Everybody feels pain differently, and brain structure may hold the clue to these differences.
In a study published in the current online issue of the journal ...
Geriatric health professionals experience added burden when caring for own family members
2014-01-14
Geriatric health professionals experience added burden when caring for own family members
(Boston) --In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) ...