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Last Updated: Oct 29, 2008 - 11:04:25 AM |
Saturday August 9, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating oily fish just once a week may reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
AMD is a disease associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision, which is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. It is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in older people in Western countries and the third cause of blindness worldwide.
The study showed that among the study participants, those in the quartile having the highest intake of omega 3 fatty acids docosahexaenoicacid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were 70 percent less likely to have wet AMD than those who had the lowest intake.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and other organizations in seven European countries conducted the study and established the association between fish consumption and omega 3 fatty acids with wet AMD.
For the study, the researchers surveyed participants for their dietary habits including how much fish they ate and what type. Then they associated the fish consumption with incidence of wet AMD.
Those who consumed oily fish once a week were 50 percent less likely to have wet AMD compared to those who ate less, the study found.
Professor Astrid Fletcher at LSHTM, who led the study, commented: "This is the first study in Europeans to show a beneficial association on wet AMD from the consumption of oily fish and is consistent with results from studies in the USA and Australia. Two 3oz servings a week of oily fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, provide about 500 mg of DHA and EPA per day".
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