The diet of the Yup’ik Eskimos of western Alaska (USA) includes high intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docasahexaenoic acid (DHA), types of omega-3 fatty acids. Studying data on the diet of 357 Yup’ik Eskimos , Zeina Makhoul, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Washington, USA) and colleagues found the Eskimo diet provided 2.8% of EPA and 6.8% of DHA, of the total fatty acid content of red blood cells. As such, these omega-3s lowered the subjects’ levels of triglycerides, as well as promoted higher levels of HDL cholesterol. The team also found this high omega-3 dietary intake to associate with decreased levels of markers of inflammation, particularly C-Reactive Protein (CRP), which is a good predictor for the onset of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researchers urge that: “Increasing EPA and DHA intakes to amounts well above those consumed by the general US population may have strong beneficial effects on chronic disease risk.”
Alaskan Eskimo Diet Offers Clues on Omega-3 Benefits
The Yup'ik Eskimos of western Alaska (US) consume high levels of EPA and DHA omega-3s, which associate with decreased inflammatory markers and healthier cholesterol profile.
u00a0
Zeina Makhoul, Alan R Kristal, Roman Gulati, Bret Luick, Andrea Bersamin, Bert Boyer, Gerald V Mohatt. “Associations of very high intakes of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids with biomarkers of chronic disease risk among Yup'ik Eskimos.” Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Mar 2010; 91: 777 - 785.
RELATED ARTICLES