Fish consumption, fish oil supplements and risk of atherosclerosis in the Tromsø study

• Published in: Nutrition Journal
• Main Authors: Johnsen, Stein Harald, Jacobsen, Bjarne K., Brækkan, Sigrid Kufaas, Hansen, John-Bjarne, Mathiesen, Ellisiv B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2018
• Subjects: VDP::Medical disciplines: 700::Clinical medical disciplines: 750; VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700::Klinisk medisinske fag: 750; VDP::Medical disciplines: 700::Health sciences: 800::Community medicine; Social medicine: 801; VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700::Helsefag: 800::Samfunnsmedisin; sosialmedisin: 801; Tromsø
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10037/14136; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-018-0364-8

Source at: http://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-018-0364-8 Background: Whether long-chain n–3 PUFAs of marine origin have an anti-atherogenic effect in the general population has hardly been studied. In this population-based study, we hypothesized that fatty fish and fish oil intake protect against development of novel atherosclerotic plaques and is associated with reduced plaque size. Methods: We obtained questionnaire-based information on fish consumption and carotid ultrasonography from 3900 persons aged 45–74 years. The questionnaires were validated by measuring serum concentrations of PUFAs and triglycerides in a subgroup. At follow-up seven years later, 2983 (76%) went through a second ultrasound scanning. Logistic regression and general linear models were used to analyze the outcome (plaque presence and plaque area) as a function of fish consumption, including analyses stratified on fish oil supplements. Results: At baseline, lean fish intake < 1 time/week vs. 1–1.9 times/week was associated with risk of plaque (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03–1.76). Fatty fish intake and use of fish oil supplements were not statistically significantly associated with atherosclerosis at baseline. In persons without plaque at baseline, total fish consumption ≥3 times/week vs. 1–1.9 times/week was associated with risk of novel plaque (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.73) and larger plaque area (1.76 mm2 vs. 1.46 mm2 , p = 0.02) at follow-up. Adjustments for use of fish oil supplements had no impact on the associations, and no interactions were seen between total, fatty or lean fish consumption and fish oil intake. Conclusions: We found no protective effect of fatty fish eating or fish oil supplements on atherosclerotic plaque formation or plaque area in a general population. Lean fish consumption was associated with a reduced risk for plaque in cross-sectional analysis, suggesting that the beneficial effects of fish consumption on atherosclerosis may be mediated through other mechanisms than n-3 PUFAs.