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A study conducted in the UK suggests that regular consumption of white and oily fish may offer some amount of protection from type 2 diabetes, but that intake of shellfish may just give the opposite effect.
The research team found an approximately 25 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women who reported of a weekly consumption of one or more, as compared to fewer, servings of white or oily fish. Surprisingly though, the researchers found that men and women who consumed similar amounts of shellfish – mainly prawns, crab, and mussels – had approximately 36 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But according to Reuters health, Dr. Nita Forouhi, of Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, noted in an email to them writing that "it may not be the 'shellfish' per se which increased the risk for diabetes." Rather, the manner of cooking and methods of food preparation employed in the UK, for example, the types of oils used when frying or serving shellfish with sauces made from butter and mayonnaise, may increase consumption of cholesterol which in turn, may lead to a higher risk of diabetes. For the study, Forouhi and her fellow investigators evaluated the weekly consumption of shellfish and white fish, including cod, haddock, sole and halibut, or oily fish such as mackerel, kippers, tuna and salmon, reported by a study population composing of 9,801 men and 12,183 women. At the time, the men and women who took part in the study were all 40 to 79 years of age and had no history of diabetes. During an average follow-up period of 10 years, 725 of the men and women in the study became developed type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that both lower risk associated with eating white and oily fish and the higher risk linked to consumption of shellfish still came out when they made adjustments for a range of diabetes risk factors such as physical activity, obesity, alcohol consumption , as well as intake of fruits and vegetables. The research team points out that the association between consumption of shellfish and risk of diabetes warrants further studies in other populations. Forouhi remarked that the link noted in their study, does not mean "that one is the cause of the other." In their conclusion, the researchers say that the findings on the intake of white and oily fish underpin the health message for the public to eat fish on a regular basis, while the findings on the consumption of shellfish need to be investigated further.
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