Long-term fish intake is associated with better lipid profile, arterial blood pressure, and blood glucose levels in elderly people from Mediterranean islands (MEDIS epidemiological study).
BACKGROUND
A study to evaluate the link between long-term fish intake and health status in a sample of elderly adults was undertaken.


METHODS
Three hundred men and women from Cyprus, 142 from Mitilini, and 100 from Samothraki islands (aged 65 to 100 years) were enrolled in this study during 2005-2006. Dietary habits (including fish consumption) were assessed through a food frequency questionnaire. Among various factors, fasting blood glucose, arterial blood pressures, and blood lipids were measured.


RESULTS
Sixty-one percent of the participants reported that they had consumed fish approximately once a week (mean intake: 1.9+/-1.2 servings/week) for a mean period of 30 years. After adjusting for various confounders, fish intake was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure (p=0.026), fasting glucose (p<0.001), total serum cholesterol (p=0.012), and triglyceride levels (p=0.024). Multinomial logistic regression revealed that a decrease of 100 g per week in fish intake was associated with a 19% (95%CI: 1-41) higher likelihood of having one additional cardiovascular risk factor (i.e. hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that long-term fish intake is associated with reduced levels of the most common cardiovascular disease risk markers in a cohort of elderly people.
Panagiotakos
Demosthenes B
DB
Department of Nutrition-Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Zeimbekis
Akis
A
Boutziouka
Vassiliki
V
Economou
Mary
M
Kourlaba
Georgia
G
Toutouzas
Pavlos
P
Polychronopoulos
Evangelos
E
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000737:chemistry
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides