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THE largest ever study into the health benefits of eating fish is about to get under way later this year.The $20-million US Government sponsored probe is to examine whether fish oil and Vitamin D can help prevent heart disease, cancer and a range of other illnesses.
The heart benefits of eating fish - and oily fish in particular - have been flagged up for years and are unashamedly used by seafood companies when marketing their products. Just recently oily fish is claimed to help prevent a range of other health problems from mental illness to blindness.
But some of the claims are now being challenged, pointing out that excessive consumption of red meat is the real killer and if people are eating fish which is quite harmless in itself, it means they are not eating meat. Therefore, their health is bound to benefit.
The fish oil will be tested at the Harvard affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and will study different racial groups. The study, which is being backed by various American health organisations, will look at 20,000 men aged over 60 and women aged over 65 with no history of heart attacks, strokes or cancer and each will be given a daily dose of around one gram of fish oil, vitamin D and placebo over a five year period. Previous studies have only targeted people with those problems. If the health claims are proved it could lead to massively increased consumption in fish across the world.
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
