Consuming Baked, Broiled Fish May Help Protect Against Heart Failure

The Washington Post (5/24, Stein) “The Checkup” blog reported that consuming baked or broiled fish may be beneficial for the heart, according to research published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure. Investigators “analyzed data collected between 1991 and 2008 from 84,493 women participating in the federally funded Women’s Health Initiative.” The researchers found that individuals “who consumed the most baked or broiled fish — five or more servings per week — were about 30 percent less likely to develop heart failure over a 10-year period.”

CNN /Health.com (5/25, McMillen) reports, however, that “if the fish was fried, it appeared to be harmful, not healthy. Eating just one serving of fried fish per week was linked to a 48% higher risk of heart failure, even after the researchers accounted for the participants’ overall diet (including French fries and other fried foods) and medical histories.”

WebMD (5/24, Hendrick) reported that the researchers also found that “the type of fish eaten may affect the risk of heart failure. Dark fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and bluefish, was associated with a significantly greater risk reduction than tuna or white fish, such as sole, snapper, and cod.”

HealthDay (5/24, Salamon) reported that, additionally, the “study indicated that participants whose diets included more baked and broiled fish tended to be healthier and younger than peers who ate fried fish, as well as more physically active and fit. They were also more educated, less likely to smoke and had fewer incidences of diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.”