Why Japanese men have fewer heart attacks

DENVER, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Japanese men have half the mortality from heart disease as U.S. Caucasian men and it may be because they eat a lot of fish, a newsletter says.

Joyce Nettleton, editor of the newsletter Fats of Life, says a study suggests that the long-term habit of men in Japan eating plenty of fish rich in long-chain omega-3s tends to counteract the development of atherosclerosis, even though men in Japan smoke more, have high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension.

"This study suggests that the long-term habit of eating plenty of fish rich in long-chain omega-3s tends to counteract the development of atherosclerosis," Nettleton says in a statement.

"The findings are consistent with other evidence that the consumption of long-chain omega-3s is associated with having less carotid artery plaque and low incidence of nonfatal heart events among the Japanese."

Research also demonstrated that a 200 mg daily supplement of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, taken during pregnancy improved the DHA status of mothers and their infants, Nettleton adds.