Inclusion of fish or fish oil in weight-loss diets for young adults: effects on blood lipids.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of fish (lean or oily) and fish oil consumption on blood lipid concentration during weight loss.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled 8-week trial of energy-restricted diet varying in fish and fish oil content. Subjects, 324 men and women, aged 20-40 years, body mass index 27.5-32.5 kg m(-2), from Iceland, Spain and Ireland, were randomized to one of four groups: (1) control (sunflower oil capsules, no seafood), (2) cod diet (3 x 150 g week(-1)), (3) salmon diet (3 x 150 g week(-1)), (4) fish oil (DHA/EPA capsules, no seafood). The macronutrient composition of the diets was similar between the groups and the capsule groups were single-blinded.


METHODS
Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TG) and anthropometrics were measured at baseline and end point.


RESULTS
The difference in logTG lowering between the control group and the cod diet, salmon diet and fish oil from baseline to end point was -0.036 (95% CI -0.079 to 0.006), -0.060 (-0.101 to -0.018) and -0.037 (-0.079 to 0.006), respectively. Reduction in TC was about 0.2 mmol l(-1) greater in the fish groups (cod and salmon) than in the control group, but only of borderline significance when adjusting for weight loss. HDL tended to decrease less in the diet groups consuming a significant amount of n-3 fatty acids (salmon and fish oil).


CONCLUSIONS
Weight-loss diet including oily fish resulted in greater TG reduction than did a diet without fish or fish oil. Controlled trials using whole fish as a test meal are encouraged to be able to elucidate the role of different constituents of fish for human health.
Gunnarsdottir
I
I
Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali-University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Tomasson
H
H
Kiely
M
M
Martinéz
J A
JA
Bandarra
N M
NM
Morais
M G
MG
Thorsdottir
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007494:Ireland; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012474:Salmon; D013030:Spain; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005395:Fish Oils; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002784:Cholesterol; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid