ֱ

AHA Backs Seafood for CVD Prevention

— A serving or two a week recommended in new advisory

MedpageToday

The heart benefits of omega-3 fatty acids aren't just from fish oil supplementation but also include seafood consumption, according to an American Heart Association science advisory.

One to two seafood meals rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) per week were recommended for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in a science advisory, Eric Rimm, ScD, of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and the rest of the document writing group wrote online in .

Rimm's group listed the evidence for seafood's benefits on several domains in particular, with some contradictions of the evidence base also highlighted:

  • Blood pressure: Plenty of trials have linked fish oil supplements to blood pressure decrease -- but fewer have examined the effects of seafood specifically
  • Sudden cardiac death: Consuming one to two servings of seafood a week (except fried fish) is associated with lower rates of sudden cardiac death, with higher seafood intake of little additional benefit in risk reduction
  • Congestive heart failure: Not all studies have found seafood consumption to decrease the risk of congestive heart failure
  • Coronary heart disease: Eating one to four servings of seafood a month is generally associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease
  • Stroke: Fish intake may lower ischemic but not hemorrhagic stroke risk

"In sum, the current scientific evidence strongly supports the recommendation that seafood be an integral component of a heart-healthy dietary pattern," according to the authors. They noted that fish species that are especially high in long-chain omega-3 PUFA include salmon, anchovies, and Atlantic and Pacific mackerel.

  • author['full_name']

    Nicole Lou is a reporter for ֱ, where she covers cardiology news and other developments in medicine.

Disclosures

Rimm disclosed modest consulting/advisory board work for IKEA, Culinary Institute of America, and C/O Health.

Primary Source

Circulation

Rimm EB, et al "Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: A science advisory from the American Heart Association" Circulation 2018; DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574.