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Traditional Sardinian Diet Linked with Longevity

Sardinia, Italy has gained international recognition as one of the world’s longevity Blue Zones, as it has a large concentration of people who live exceptionally long lives. To determine how the traditional Sardinian diet might play a role in longevity, European researchers analyzed the traditional eating habits of Sardinia based on works published over a century. Researchers characterize the traditional Sardinian diet as “remarkably frugal.” Foods native to the Sardinian diet include grains (wheat and barley), potatoes, pulses, sheep milk and goat milk and their fresh cheeses, wild fruits, and fresh vegetables, with fermented whole grain breads and minestrone soup making up a substantial portion of the diet prior to the 1950’s. After the mid-1950’s, Sardinians were able to eat more meat and pasta, along with more fresh vegetables, olive oil, and fish, but with fewer potatoes, pulses, and less lard. The researchers conclude that this unique combination of diets may attribute to the exceptionally long lifespan of Sardinians born at the end of the 19th century, and are eager to monitor the lifespan of future generations of Sardinians.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 Apr;69(4):411-8. (Pes GM et al.)

Vegetarian Diet Helps Maintain Good Mood

Researchers at Benedictine University in Illinois conducted a randomized control trial to determine the effects on mood of consuming a vegetarian diet, compared with an omnivorous diet or a meat-restricted fish diet.  Omnivorous diets are high in arachidonic acid (AA) and research has shown that high intakes of AA can promote changes in the brain that can disturb mood.  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are fats found in fish which are thought to improve mood by opposing the negative effects of AA. This study randomly selected thirty nine omnivores and assigned them to either a group consuming meat, fish and poultry daily (OMN); a group consuming fish 3-4 times weekly but avoiding meat and poultry (FISH), or a vegetarian group avoiding meat, fish and poultry (VEG).  Mood was tested using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales.  The study found that the VEG participants, who through the diet reduced their EPA, DHA and AA intakes, had mood scores that improved significantly after two weeks whereas OMN and FISH participants had mood scores that remained unchanged.  In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that restricting meat, fish, and poultry may improve some domains of short-term mood states in modern omnivores.
Nutrition Journal 2012 Feb 14;11:9 (Beezhold et al.)

Eating Fish Cuts Diabetes Risk for Japanese Men

Researchers in Japan conducted a study to evaluate the effect of fish consumption on the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  Japanese men who consumed the highest amount of fish had a 27% lower risk of developing diabetes than men who consumed the least amount of fish.  The study found that consumption of small and medium fish may be particularly beneficial.  Researchers did not find an association between fish intake and diabetes for women.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2011 Sep;94(3):884-91. (Nanri et al.)

Vegetable, Fruit, Fish Intake May Reduce Diabetes Risk in Chinese

Researchers performed a dietary assessment of a large population in China to determine common eating patterns and possible effect on the risk of diabetes.  A diet which includes more vegetables, fruits, and fish was associated with a 14% lower risk of diabetes, while a diet which includes more meat and milk products was associated with a 39% higher risk.
Public Health Nutrition. 2011 Jul;14(7):1133-1141. (Yu et al.)

Fish May Reduce Stroke, CVD, Cancer Mortality

A study conducted in Hong Kong sought to evaluate whether frequency of fish consumption affects mortality in adults.  Researchers found that consuming fish 1-3 times per week was associated with a lower rate of mortality from stroke (30% lower), cardiovascular disease (33% lower), and cancer (33% lower) than consuming fish less frequently.
Annals of Epidemiology.  2011 Mar; 21(3):164-169 (Wang et al.)

Live Longer with Increased Fish Consumption

Public Health officials in Hong Kong compared death records of 23,608 over the age of 30 with a group of 12,395 controls. Relatives registering the deaths were asked for dietary and lifestyle data, from which the researchers determined that those eating fish one to three times a week had a 25% lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 34% reduced risk of ischemic heart disease and cancer and a 30% reduced risk of stroke. They concluded that “fish consumption significantly reduced mortality from several causes.”
Annals of Epidemiology. March 2011; 21(3):164-9 (Wang et al.)

Decreased Breast Cancer Risk with Fatty Fish

A study conducted by the Cancer Epidemiology Branch in Gyeonggi, South Korea examined the association between fish and fish omega-3 fatty acids intake with the risk of breast cancer among Korean women.  358 incident breast cancer patients and 360 controls with no history of malignant cancer were recruited and given a 103-item food frequency questionairre to determine their dietary intake of fish (fatty and lean) and omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish (eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docasahexaenoic acid or DHA).  The study found that high intake of fatty fish was associated with reduced risk of breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women.
BMC Cancer. 2009 Jun 30;9:216 (Kim et al.)

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