Fatty fish consumption reduces kidney cancer risk

Eating fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring at least once a week significantly lowers the risk of kidney cancer in women. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm conducted a 15-year long study involving 61,000 women ranging in age from 40 to 76 years. They found that those who regularly ate fish containing lots of fish oil, rich in omega-3 acids and Vitamin D had a 74 percent lower risk of getting kidney cancer as compared to those who did not eat fish at all. Only 150 women developed kidney cancer. Lean varieties such tuna, cod and fresh-water fish did not confer the same benefit. Compared to lean fish, fatty fish have up to 30 times the amount of certain fatty acids and up to five times the level of Vitamin D. The fatty acids have been reported to slow development of cancer and people with kidney cancer often have low levels of Vitamin D. The name fatty fish may frighten some people, but despite being rich in calories this kind of fat has overwhelming health benefits. The findings suggest that consuming fatty fish might reduce the occurrence of renal cell carcinoma.