A new study says people who eat oily fish regularly can probably breathe easier.
     Cambridge University researchers examined the link between consumption of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids and asthma. The study focused on 333 people with a history of asthma and 437 without asthma.
     Research revealed that asthmatics who showed symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness or waking up with a tight chest were much less likely to regularly consume oily fish like salmon or mackerel than those without asthma symptoms.
     The research findings, presented in London Dec. 6 to the British Thoracic Society, add to the list of benefits ascribed to fish with high levels of omega-3s.
     "The findings are of particular interest, as asthma has become more common in the United Kingdom over the past 30 years," says Clinical Epidemiologist Dr. Bipen Patel, lead author of the study. "As a nation, the amount of oily fish in our diet has declined over the same period."
     "Oily fish has already been linked with protection from heart disease, arthritis, psoriasis and dementia," says Dr. John Harvey, chairman of the society's communications committee. "It is safe to say that eating oily fish in moderation every week as part of a well balanced diet could help reduce the risk of asthma."
     Past studies in the United States, Australia and France also confirm a link between eating oily fish and reduced asthma in both adults and children.