A diet of oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can extend a person’s life by more than two years, new research has claimed.
Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health have revealed higher blood levels of omega-3 may lower the chances of dying from heart disease by over a third, while the overall risk of death is reduced by up to 27 per cent.
After 16 years of studying the health records of 2,700 healthy adults in the US aged 65 or above, it was discovered individuals with the largest amounts of the fatty acids in their blood lived approximately 2.2 years longer than other participants.
Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, who led the research, noted few studies have evaluated the link between blood omega-3 levels and death in older people.
He added: “Our findings support the importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for cardiovascular health and suggest that later in life these benefits could actually extend the years of remaining life.”
The fatty acids can be found in fish like tuna, sardines and mackerel, while they are also prevalent in rapeseed oil, flaxseed and walnuts.