Jennifer S.L. Tan, M.B.B.S., B.E., of Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues examined 2,454 participants in the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which began in 1992 to 1994.

At that time, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire that was analysed to determine their intake of various fatty acids. Digital photographs of the retina were used to assess the development of AMD five and 10 years later.

Eating fish, nuts and olive oil may be good for your eyes

After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, eating one serving of fish per week was associated with a 31 percent lower risk of developing early AMD.

The researchers found that association was stronger among individuals with a lower intake of linoleic acid, an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils.

They also found that eating one to two servings of nuts per week was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of early AMD.

According to researchers, these fatty acids may protect the eyes by preventing the build-up of plaque in the arteries or reducing inflammation, blood vessel formation and oxygen-related cell damage in the retina.

“In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that increased intake of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and regular consumption of fish and/or nuts in the diet may protect against the development of early AMD,” the authors said.

The study appears in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (ANI)

Fish oils prevent bad cholesterol accumulation in arteries

Eating tuna, sardines, salmon and other so-called cold water fish seems to protect people against clogged arteries.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also known to lower triglycerides, a type of fat often found in the bloodstream.
The current study was carried out in three separate populations of miceone was fed a balanced diet, one a diet resembling a “Western” diet high in saturated fat, and a third was fed a high fish fat diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
The researchers observed that the fatty acids contained in fish oil markedly inhibit the entry of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) into arteries, and, consequently, much less cholesterol collects in these vessels.
According to them, this is related to the ability of those fatty acids to markedly decrease lipoprotein lipase, a molecule that traps LDL in the arterial wall.
The research team say that their finding may help improve the scientific understanding of omega-3 fatty acids benefits on heart health.
Dr. Deckelbaum says that people can obtain these health benefits by increasing fish intake, or by using supplements that contain the “long-chain” fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which are found in cold water fish.
The research was published by the American Heart Association’’s Arteriolosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. (ANI)