OILY FISH AND FISH-OIL SUPPLEMENTS IN THE PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART-DISEASE

Dietary advice for the reduction of coronary heart disease events emph asizes the importance of a low-fat diet and advice on the consumption of oily fish may also be given. This report reviews the evidence linki ng fish consumption with coronary risk. On the basis of available evid ence, a target of two to three portions of oily fish per week (200-400 g, 7-14 oz) is considered reasonable, particularly for secondary prev ention. For those who cannot achieve the suggested dietary intake of o ily fish, the partial or complete substitution of fish oil supplements may be appropriate. A range of suitable types of fish oil supplements is given, but an awareness of the potential adverse effects of fish o il supplementation is considered important. Further studies are needed to define the role of fish intake in coronary heart disease.