NEW YORK, Oct 19 ― New US research has found more evidence to suggest that consuming fish and seafood, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, could help maintain health as we age.

Led by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, the new research set out to investigate whether omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) from seafood and plants may help promote healthy aging ― defined as survival without major chronic diseases and with good physical and mental function.

Although previous studies have suggested that n-3 PUFAs may have a beneficial effect on health as we age, the results have so far been inconsistent.

For the new research the team gathered data from 2,622 adults taking part in the US Cardiovascular Health study from 1992 to 2015.

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The participants' blood levels of n3-PUFAs were measured at the start of study, when the average age of participants was 74, and again at a 6- and 13-year follow-up.

These n3-PUFAs included eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) ― which mainly come from seafood ― and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) ― which is mainly found in plants including nuts, seeds, and leafy green vegetables.

Using these measurements, the participants were then split into five groups (quintiles) of circulating blood n-3 PUFA levels, from lowest to highest.

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The findings, which were published on Wednesday in The BMJ, showed that participants in the highest quintile of seafood-derived EPA had a 24 per cent lower risk of unhealthy aging than those in the lowest quintile.

In addition, participants in the top three quintiles of DPA levels had an 18 to 21 per cent reduction in the risk of unhealthy aging.

The results also held true even after the team had taken into account other social, economic, and lifestyle factors such as age, sex, exercise levels, and smoking status.

However, seafood-derived DHA and plant-derived ALA were not associated with healthy aging.

As an observational study the researchers point out that no conclusions can be made about cause and effect.

However, with a long follow-up period of up to 22 years, during which time the results remained largely unchanged after further analyses, they concluded that higher levels of circulating n-3 PUFAs from seafood are linked with a lower risk of unhealthy aging among older adults.

“These findings encourage the need for further investigations into plausible biological mechanisms and interventions related to n3-PUFAs for maintenance of healthy ageing, and support guidelines for increased dietary consumption of fish among older adults,” they added. ― AFP-Relaxnews