Eating fish linked to a lower heart rate
22 August 2003
Men who eat fish several times each week have a lower heart rate than men who eat fish on one or fewer occasions each week, according to French research of almost 10,000 men.
The scientists surveyed the fish-eating habits of 9758 men aged 50 to 59 years, categorised them according to the amount of fish they consumed each week — ranging from eating fish once or less per week to twice or more per week — then compared heart rate and other cardiovascular risk factors between the various categories of fish consumption (Circulation 2003; 108(7): 820-25).
The finding of a reduced heart rate in men eating more fish each week, compared with those eating fish once or less per week, may partly explain the reason for the lowered risk of sudden death that has been observed previously among fish consumers.
Previous research has shown that:
- eating fish regularly is associated with a lower risk of sudden death; and
- a high heart rate is associated with an increased risk of sudden death.
Last Reviewed: 24 August 2003
- 1. Dallongeville J, Yarnell J, Ducimetiere P et al. Fish consumption is associated with lower heart rates. Circulation 2003; 108(7): 820-25
