Eating small fish whole can help you live longer: new study

Whole-y mackerel!

Women who eat small fish whole — from the head to the bones — may face a lower risk of dying from cancer and other causes, a new study out of Japan finds.

“Previous studies have revealed the protective effect of fish intake on health outcomes, including mortality risks. However, few studies have focused on the effect of the intake of small fish specifically on health outcomes,” lead researcher Dr. Chinatsu Kasahara of Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine said in a statement.

80,802 people between 35 and 69 were divided into four groups based on how often they consume small fish: rarely, one to three times a month, one to two times a week and more than three times a week. Examples of small fish include whitebait, Atlantic capelin, Japanese smelt and small dried sardines.

During the nine-year follow-up period, 2,482 participants died, including 1,495 from cancer.

The study authors found that women who ate small fish at least one to three times a month were less likely to die from cancer and other causes compared to women who rarely consumed the aquatic animals.

“Small fish can be a component of a healthy diet,” the researchers wrote in their findings, which were published last month in the journal Public Health Nutrition. “They are a good source of micronutrients such as [calcium], vitamins and fatty acids when consumed with bones and organs.”

Researchers specifically credited the “anti-tumor effects of vitamins A and D” as well as the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation and support brain function.

The researchers noted similar potential benefits in men but found the trend “not statistically significant.” They theorized that this may be because of the limited number of male subjects in the study (34,555 men were included versus 46,247 women) and other factors not measured, such as the portion size of small fish.

The authors noted other limitations of their study, including that they were not aware of changes in many participants’ eating habits and lifestyle factors during the follow-up period; participants may not have accurately reported their consumption of small fish; and the study area was limited to Japan.

Nevertheless, Kasahara is enthusiastic about the results.

“Small fish are easy for everyone to eat, and they can be consumed whole, including the head, bones, and organs,” Kasahara said. “The inverse relationship between the intake of small fish and the mortality risk in women underscores the importance of these nutrient-dense foods in people’s diets.”