July 20 (UPI) — Fish and fish oil omega-3 fatty acids like those found in tuna, salmon and sardines look promising for maintaining lung health, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The study published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine is the strongest evidence yet linking those fatty acids to good lung health.
“We know a lot about the role of diet in cancer and cardiovascular diseases, but the role of diet in chronic lung disease is somewhat understudied,” said corresponding author Patricia A. Cassano, Ph.D., in a statement. “This study adds to growing evidence that omega-3 fatty acids, which are part of a healthy diet, may be important for lung health, too.”
James P. Kiley, Ph.D., director of the NHLBI’s Division of Lung Diseases, agreed.
“This large population-based study suggests that nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties may help to maintain lung health,” Kiley said in a statement.
Omega-3 acids have anti-inflammatory properties, according to past studies.
This latest study showed that higher levels of omega-3 were associated with better lung function.
The National Institures of Health said in a statement, “Researchers conducted a longitudinal, observational study involving 15,063 Americans from the NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study — a large collection of NIH-funded studies that helps researchers to study determinants of personalized risk for chronic lung disease.”
It was a two-part study of generally healthy people with an average age of 56 and of which 55% were female.
The U.S. Department fo Agriculture’s dietary guidelines recommends that people eat at least two servings of fish per week, but most Americans don’t.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also in nuts and seeds.
