More Fish May Lower Diabetes Risk

Type-2 diabetes is becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world.  In that previous studies posit that overweight is a significant risk factor, diet and other lifestyle factors may have potential as interventive approaches to reduce a person’s risk of Type-2 diabetes. Jyrki K. Virtanen, from the University of Eastern Finland (Finland), and colleagues analyzed data collected in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD), determining the serum omega-3 fatty acid concentrations of 2,212 men, ages 42 to 60 years 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.  The team found that men in the highest serum omega-3 fatty acid concentration quarter were at 33% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as compared to those men in the lowest quarter.  The study authors report that: “Serum long-chain omega-3 [fatty acid] concentration, an objective biomarker for fish intake, was associated with long-term lower risk of type 2 diabetes.”