Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease Prevention

The interest in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and coronary heart disease has arisen only over the course of the past 25 years. In the 1970s, Danish investigators studied heart disease rates in native peoples of Greenland and discovered significantly lower levels of acute myocardial infarction in Eskimos compared with ageand sex-matched Danes. On further investigation, Bang and Dyerberg concluded that the high level of Omega-3 fatty acids in their native diet may have accounted for the low rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). In studies of other populations such as the Japanese, higher fish intake has also been associated with lower rates of heart disease. In addition to replacing meat (with its saturated fatty acids and cholesterol), fish serves as the best source of long-chain ω3 fatty acids. By the mid 1980’s, Omega 3 fatty acids became the focus of intense investigation.