Saturday Evening Post, Sept-Oct, 2003

Once again, research published in a recent issue of the journal Circulation highlights the importance of consuming fish and omega-3 fatty acids in preserving cardiovascular health. Among the more than 5,000 women with type 2 diabetes enrolled in the ongoing Nurses Health Study, researchers found that women who ate fish once per week were 40 percent less likely to develop heart disease than women who rarely ate fish.

Most dramatically, women in the study who consumed fish almost every day--at least five times per week--were found to reduce their risk of heart disease by 64 percent.

Fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids that have demonstrated protective benefits on the cardiovascular system in numerous studies.

"This provides strong evidence that fish consumption is beneficial," concluded the study's lead author, Dr. Frank B. Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard. "Eating fish should be strongly recommended for people with diabetes."

Dr. Hu's research, honored by the American Heart Association, reveals the power of prevention in stemming the epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which affects about 16 million Americans.

"We have pinpointed risk factors for diabetes in a more rigorous and scientific way," Dr. Hu recently said. "Nearly all of type 2 diabetes cases are preventable. That is a powerful public-health message."

TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL CLASSIFICATION

Less than 150 mg/dL Normal

150-199 mg/dL Borderline-high

200-499 mg/dL High

500 mg/dL or higher Very high

--American Heart Association