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Health Aspects of Fish and n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Plant and Marine Origin

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Nutritional Health

Part of the book series: Nutrition ◊ and ◊ Health ((NH))

Abstract

Ischemic or coronary heart disease (CHD) is the main cause of deaths in the United States (32% of total deaths in 1994) and other Western countries where it is associated with a high (saturated) fat intake. However, Greenland Eskimos (Inuit) on their traditional diet, which is rich in fat (40% of calories) and cholesterol, did not have such a high incidence of CHD and also much less atherosclerosis (1, 2). This has been ascribed to the high amount of very long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC n-3 PUFA; approx 14 g/d) in their diet derived from fish and marine mammals (3). The VLC n-3 PUFA comprise mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3) (see Fig. 1). Recently, less atherosclerosis and CHD have also been found in native Alaskans whose diet is also rich in marine fish and mammals (4). In addition, certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer, were found to be rare in Eskimos and Alaskan natives (5), which has also been ascribed to VLC n-3 PUFA.

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Authors
  1. Emile A. M. de Deckere
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Exercise and Sport Science/Health Education, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, USA

    Ted Wilson PhD

  2. Centre for Science, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada

    Norman J. Temple PhD

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de Deckere, E.A.M. (2001). Health Aspects of Fish and n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Plant and Marine Origin. In: Wilson, T., Temple, N.J. (eds) Nutritional Health. Nutrition ◊ and ◊ Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-226-5_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-226-5_13

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-6054-5

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