Abstract
To examine the effects of intake of dark-meat fish (rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) on cardiovascular disease risk factors, we conducted a trial using female college students in Tokyo. The students were randomized into a dark-meat fish intake group (intervention group, n=39) and a control group (n=35). The intervention group ate a piece or a serving of dark-meat fish as their lunch for 2 weeks, with a daily average fish intake of 80-100g. Effects of fish intake were evaluated by examining changes in serum lipids (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and serum fatty acid components and hemostatic factors [plasma fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1)]. In the intervention group, after two weeks of fish intake, serum saturated fatty acid components did not change. Monounsaturated fatty acid components decreased from 24.2% to 22.1%, and polyunsaturated fatty acid components increased from 50.0% to 51.2%. In particular, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid components increased significantly from 6.8% to 9.7%, and the n-3/n-6 ratio increased significantly from 0.16 to 0.24. In the control group, no changes were observed in serum fatty acid components. In the intervention group, serum HDL-cholesterol increased significantly from 66 to 69mg/dL, and triglyceride tended to decrease from 66 to 58mg/dL. Serum total cholesterol did not change. No changes in serum lipid were observed in the control group. Plasma fibrinogen, t-PA or PAI-1 did not change in either the intervention group or the control group. It is concluded that a daily intake of 80-100g dark-meat fish increases serum n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and HDL-cholesterol.
