Eating fish in old age 'can extend life'

Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in oily fish and seafood, are good for the heart and reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by up to 35 per cent.

This contributes to an overall decrease in the risk of early death by 27 per cent in older adults and extends life by an average of two years and ten weeks, researchers found.

The link between Omega 3 and heart health is well established, but the new study by experts from the Harvard School of Public Health was the first to examine the direct link between levels of the fatty acids in the blood and death rates.

Researchers studied 16 years' worth of health records for 2,700 healthy American adults, all of whom were aged 65 or over and in good health.

The participants regularly gave blood samples, underwent physical examinations and diagnostic tests, and answered surveys on their medical history, lifestyle and overall healthy.

Results showed that patients with high levels of three types of Omega 3 fatty acid, either individually or combined, in their blood were much less likely to die prematurely.

One type, known as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, was linked to a 40 per cent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease, especially from arrhythmia, or a disturbed heart rhythm
Another type of Omega 3 acid, known as docosapentaenoic acid or DPA, appeared to lower the risk of death from stroke while eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, was linked to a lower risk of non-fatal heart attacks.
Overall, patients with the highest levels of all three fatty acid types in their blood were 27 per cent less likely to die early from any cause, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal.

Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, who led the study, said: "Although eating fish has long been considered part of a healthy diet, few studies have assessed blood omega-3 levels and total deaths in older adults.

"Our findings support the importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for cardiovascular health, and suggest that later in life these benefits could actually extend the years of remaining life."