Eating vegetables, fish during pregnancy may help reduce risk of high blood pressure

New European research has found that eating a diet rich in vegetables and fish during pregnancy could help lower the risk of developing high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.

Carried out by researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Bristol, the new large-scale study looked at 55,138 women who took part in the Danish National Birth Cohort.


The women were asked to complete several telephone interviews, including two during pregnancy at 12 and 30 weeks and two interviews at six and 18 months after birth. They also completed a questionnaire on their dietary habits at week 25 of their pregnancy.

The findings, published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics, showed that eating a diet rich in vegetables and fish appeared to reduce the risk of developing gestational hypertension by 14 percent and pre-eclampsia by 21 percent.

On the other hand, following a Western diet, which is high in potatoes, meat, white bread and margarine, increased the risk of developing gestational hypertension by 18 percent and pre-eclampsia by 40 percent.

On average, women with high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia also had a higher body mass index (1.6-2.3 kg/m2 higher) than those without the conditions.

While the researchers point out that the study only shows an association between diet and the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy, rather than a causal relationship, they add that the results do add to an existing body of evidence that supports following a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Author of the study Ms. Emmanuella Ikem also added that, “Our findings support the importance of eating a healthy and well-balanced diet in vegetables and fish and cutting out processed foods where possible. This will help to reduce a woman’s risk of developing high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.”

“Current advice recommends eating at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables every day, instead of foods high in fat. And generally it is safe to consume fish during pregnancy, no more than two portions of oily fish, such as mackerel or salmon, a week, and no more than two fresh tuna steaks or four medium-sized cans of tuna a week. Women should avoid eating shark, swordfish or marlin.”

According to previous research, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects around 1 in 10 pregnancies. Pre-eclampsia, a condition related to high blood pressure which can cause serious complications for mother and baby, affects 2 to 8 in every 100 women and develops from around 20 weeks of gestation. JB

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

More evidence of prostate cancer, omega-3 link

WASHINGTON—US scientists said Wednesday they have confirmed a surprising 2011 study that found a higher risk of prostate cancer among men who consume omega-3 fatty acids, raising new questions about the safety of supplements.

The research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported a 71 percent higher risk for dangerous high-grade prostate cancer among men who ate fatty fish or took fish-oil supplements, which are often touted for their anti-inflammatory properties.

“We’ve shown once again that use of nutritional supplements may be harmful,” said Alan Kristal, researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and senior author of the paper.

Scientists are still puzzled as to why omega-3s appear linked to a greater risk of prostate cancer, but they said the findings suggest they are somehow involved in the formation of tumors.

The same team of researchers published similar findings in 2011, linking high blood concentrations of DHA to a more than double risk of high-grade prostate cancer, which is more likely to be fatal than other types.

A large European study also found the same omega-3 and prostate cancer link.

“The consistency of these findings suggests that these fatty acids are involved in prostate tumorigenesis and recommendations to increase long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake, in particular through supplementation, should consider its potential risks,” the US study said.

The difference in blood concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids between the highest and lowest risk groups was about 2.5 percentage points (3.2 percent vs. 5.7 percent), or just higher than the effect of eating salmon twice a week, Kristal said.

The latest study was based on an analysis of specimens and data from a large randomized, controlled trial that tested whether selenium and vitamin E would reduce prostate cancer risk.

The trial, known as SELECT (the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial), found that vitamin E raised the prostate cancer risk and selenium showed no impact either way.

For the July 11 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers analyzed the data on 834 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and compared them to a random sample of 1,393 taken from the SELECT trial.

Those who had high blood concentrations of the fatty acids EPA, DPA and DHA were shown to have a 71 percent increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.

The increased risk of low grade prostate cancer was 44 percent higher in those with elevated fatty acid levels, and the combined risk was 43 percent for all prostate cancers.

Due to the nature of the study, it was not possible to tell for certain whether the elevated blood levels were due to men taking supplements or eating fish rich in omega-3s.

However, Franklin Lowe, associate director of the department of urology at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, said the findings should remind consumers that supplements may not help, and may even do harm.

“In general, there is nothing that has been proven to actually limit the risk of prostate cancer,” said Lowe, who was not involved in the study.

“For the most part, doctors do not recommend this stuff because it is unclear what the true benefits are for most of the supplements that people take.”—Kerry Sheridan

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net