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In the News, Summer 2024: Benefits of Eating Small Fish
Researchers from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan) have found that incorporating small fish into the diet may prolong life expectancy, particularly for women. Although past studies have shown the health-protective effects of fish consumption, there has been little research on eating small fish, which are often consumed whole in Japanese diets.
This study examined mortality risk among 34,555 men and 46,247 women, aged 35 to 69, in Japan. Participants were given a food-frequency questionnaire at baseline and followed for an average of nine years. The researchers found that women who habitually ate small fish (at frequencies ranging from 1 to 3 times a month to 3 or more times a week) were less likely to die from cancer than those who did not habitually eat small fish.
When factors such as smoking, age, alcohol consumption, BMI, and nutrient intake were considered, it was found that women who ate small fish also had lower risk of mortality from any cause. Mortality risk for men from cancer and all causes showed a similar trend, but it was not statistically significant.
Co-author Takashi Tamura stated, “The habit of eating small fish is usually limited to several coastal or maritime countries, such as Japan. However, we suspect that the intake of small fish anywhere may be revealed as a way of prolonging life expectancy.”
Sources:
The secret to longer life? Scientists uncover unexpected health benefits of eating small fish. Nagoya University, June 29, 2024. scitechdaily.com/the-secret-to-longer-life-scientists-uncover-unexpected-health-benefits-of-eating-small-fish.
Kasahara C, Tamura T, Wakai K, et al. Association between consumption of small fish and all-cause mortality among Japanese: the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Public Health Nutrition. 2024; 27(1):e135. doi:10.1017/S1368980024000831.
Published in the Journal of Health and Healing™
Summer 2024 | Volume 48, Number 2
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