Omega-3 fish oils appear to prevent clogged arteries, according to new research.
A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found evidence that the low rate of deaths from heart disease in Japanese people may be due to their diet, which is rich in oily fish.
Japanese men were found to have twice as many omega-3 fatty acids in their blood as white American men.
However, Japanese men who lived in the US and had adopted a western diet did not seem to enjoy the same level of protection, as their omega-3 fatty acid levels were similar to those of white Americans.
Dr William Harris, senior scientist and director of the University of South Dakota's Metabolism and Nutrition Research Centre, commented: "The take-home message from this important study is this - traditional risk factors lead to traditional amounts of artery-clogging plaque, but only when the background diet - perhaps the lifetime diet - is chronically deficient in omega-3 fatty acids."
The expert concluded: "Increase the omega-3 intake and heart disease rates in the west should begin to move closer to those in Japan."
Recent research has found that omega-3 fatty acids help to improve learning and memory and may protect against depression and mood disorders.
Omega-3 fish oils appear to prevent clogged arteries, according to new research.
