Cut Stroke Risk

Lee Bowman Scripps

Posted December 30, 2002

Men who eat fish as seldom as twice a month can still significantly reduce their risk for a stroke from a blood clot, according to a new study being published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.

"The message is clear for men: Incorporate fish, whether it's lobster, canned tuna or salmon, into your diet," said Ka He, a nutrition and epidemiology researcher at Harvard and the study's co- author.

The researchers tracked the health and diet patterns of more than 43,000 male health professionals over a 12-year period, using detailed food questionnaires to find out how often they ate fish, ranging from less than once a month to six or more times a week.

They found that men who ate even a small amount of fish, one to three times a month, from any of four fish categories, as a main dish reduced their risk of stroke by 40 percent compared with those who ate fish less often or not at all. There was no evidence of further reduction of stroke risk by consuming fish more often, nor did the type of fish eaten seem to matter.

The study also found no increased or decreased risk for the less common hemorrhagic stroke (when an artery weakens and bursts), although some other studies have suggested eating fish often may contribute to them.

"We were surprised to see how even small amounts of fish and omega-3 fatty acids (thought to help reduce the chance of blood clots), eaten regularly, can significantly reduce the risk of stroke for men," said He.

The categories of fish in the food questionnaire were: canned tuna; dark meat fish (like mackerel, salmon, and sardines); other fish, and shrimp, lobster or scallops. Dark meat fish are generally thought to have the highest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids.

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