Dodger
Thu, Aug-11-05, 10:01
FIONA MACGREGOR
Eating just two portions of fish a week during childhood could double the risk of dying from a stroke in later life, according to a new report.
The findings come after scientists reviewed the cause of death for over 4,000 people who had been part of the Boyd Orr survey on family diet and health carried out across Britain during the late 1930s.
The academics from Bristol University said they could find no correlation between early eating habits and other causes of mortality, but they identified clear links between childhood diet and strokes.
Dr Andy Ness of the Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology at the University of Bristol said: "We found that children who ate the most vegetables had a reduced risk of stroke, which ties in with the recognised benefits of vegetables, but somewhat surprisingly we found an association between fish and strokes.
"There was a twofold increase in risk between those whose diet contained the most fish, at least two or three portions a week, and those who ate little or no fish."
He added that the study had not aimed to identify why eating fish could lead to strokes, but called for further research. "The whole issue of fish being healthy is complicated. I would not stop my own children eating fish because of these findings, but I would probably avoid giving them fish every day."
Current government recommendations say that people should eat at least two portions of oily fish a week. The report did not distinguish between oily and other types of fish.
Dr Nigel Hoggard, a nutritionist at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, described the findings as "surprising" but said: "The discrepancy between these results and what you would expect may have something to do with the fact it did not separate those who ate oily fish and those who ate other types of fish."
A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "It is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet and this should include at least two portions of fish a week."
http://www.scotsman.com/?id=1761522005
Eating just two portions of fish a week during childhood could double the risk of dying from a stroke in later life, according to a new report.
The findings come after scientists reviewed the cause of death for over 4,000 people who had been part of the Boyd Orr survey on family diet and health carried out across Britain during the late 1930s.
The academics from Bristol University said they could find no correlation between early eating habits and other causes of mortality, but they identified clear links between childhood diet and strokes.
Dr Andy Ness of the Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology at the University of Bristol said: "We found that children who ate the most vegetables had a reduced risk of stroke, which ties in with the recognised benefits of vegetables, but somewhat surprisingly we found an association between fish and strokes.
"There was a twofold increase in risk between those whose diet contained the most fish, at least two or three portions a week, and those who ate little or no fish."
He added that the study had not aimed to identify why eating fish could lead to strokes, but called for further research. "The whole issue of fish being healthy is complicated. I would not stop my own children eating fish because of these findings, but I would probably avoid giving them fish every day."
Current government recommendations say that people should eat at least two portions of oily fish a week. The report did not distinguish between oily and other types of fish.
Dr Nigel Hoggard, a nutritionist at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, described the findings as "surprising" but said: "The discrepancy between these results and what you would expect may have something to do with the fact it did not separate those who ate oily fish and those who ate other types of fish."
A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "It is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet and this should include at least two portions of fish a week."
http://www.scotsman.com/?id=1761522005