Exploratory multivariate analysis of the effect of fatty fish consumption and medicinal use on heart rate and heart rate variability data

Short-Term Intake of Yellowstripe Scad versus Salmon Did Not Induce Similar Effects on Lipid Profile and Inflammatory Markers among Healthy Overweight Adults despite Their Comparable EPA+DHA Content

Yellowstripe scad (YSS) have comparable eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA) content to salmon. We aimed to compare the effects of YSS and salmon on lipid profile and inflammatory markers. A randomized crossover trial with two diet periods was conducted among healthy overweight (with BMI 23.0-27.4 kg/m2) Malaysian adults aged 21-55 years. Steamed whole YSS fish (≈385 g whole fish/day) or salmon fillets (≈246 g fillet/day) were given for eight weeks (3 days per week), retaining approximately 1000 mg EPA+DHA per day. Diets were switched after an 8-week washout period. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after each diet period. A total of 49 subjects participated in the intervention (35% male and 65% female; mean age 29 (7) years). YSS did not induce any significant changes in outcome measures. However, the consumption of salmon as compared with YSS was associated with reduction in triglycerides (between-group difference: -0.09 mmol/1, p = 0.01), VLDL-cholesterol (between-group difference: -0.04 mmol/1, p = 0.01), atherogenic index of plasma (between-group difference: -0.05 mmol/1, p = 0.006), and IL-6 (between-group difference: -0.01 pg/mL, p = 0.03). Despite their comparable EPA+DHA content, short-term consumption of salmon but not YSS induced significant changes in lipid profile and inflammatory markers. Larger clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings.

The effects of diet on levels of physical activity during winter in forensic inpatients - A randomized controlled trial

Background

Fish consumption has been shown to have beneficial effects on biological and subjective measures of health and well-being. However, little is known about the effects of fish consumption at the behavioral level.

Objective

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diet on behavior such as physical activity during winter in forensic inpatients. The secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and physical activity.

Design

Eighty-one male forensic inpatients participated in this study. Participants were randomized into two different diet groups: a Fish group receiving fatty fish three times per week and a Control group receiving an alternative meal (e.g. chicken, pork, and beef); while the Fish group received their fish, the Control group received an alternate meal, but with the same nutritional value as their habitual diet. The duration of the food intervention was 6 months.

Results

The results revealed that the Fish group had a regular pattern of physical activity throughout the intervention period. The participants in the Control group showed a more irregular pattern of physical activity in addition to a significant reduction in physical activity over time.

Conclusion

Behavior such as physical activity during winter seemed to be influenced by the diet.

Fatty Fish Intervention and Psychophysiological Responses to Mental Workload in Forensic Inpatients

Abstract. The overall aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effect of a long-term fatty fish intervention during winter time on psychophysiological responses, that is, heart rate variability (HRV), to mental workload. Forty-seven forensic inpatients were randomly assigned into a fish group (FG) or a control group (CG). HRV responses to an experimental test procedure consisting of a resting baseline, mental workload, and a resting recovery were measured pre- and post-intervention. The results revealed that the FG showed attenuated physiological responses to mental workload from pretest to posttest by a significant increase in HRV. Additionally, the FG showed a higher HRV during recovery compared to the baseline and test conditions at both pretest and posttest. The CG showed no changes in psychophysiological responses from pretest to posttest to mental workload. Importantly, the CG showed impaired recovery at posttest, indicating a sustained physiological arousal after the stressor (mental workload) ended. Thus, the results indicate that increased fatty fish intake has the potential to increase resilience to mild cognitive stress in human beings with psychiatric illnesses.

Heart-rate variability: a biomarker to study the influence of nutrition on physiological and psychological health?

As the influence of diet on health may take place over a period of decades, there is a need for biomarkers that help to identify those aspects of nutrition that have either a positive or a negative influence. The evidence is considered that heart-rate variability (HRV) (the time differences between one beat and the next) can be used to indicate the potential health benefits of food items. Reduced HRV is associated with the development of numerous conditions for example, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, obesity and psychiatric disorders. Although more systematic research is required, various aspects of diet have been shown to benefit HRV acutely and in the longer term. Examples include a Mediterranean diet, omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, probiotics, polyphenols and weight loss. Aspects of diet that are viewed as undesirable, for example high intakes of saturated or trans-fat and high glycaemic carbohydrates, have been found to reduce HRV. It is argued that the consistent relationship between HRV, health and morbidity supports the view that HRV has the potential to become a widely used biomarker when considering the influence of diet on mental and physical health.