An experiment done on 38,000 women resulted in evidence that links the consumation of fish, or any meal with an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, to a lower risk of developing age-realted macular degeneration (AMD). While the research data needs to be tested again in randomized trials, there appears to be an evident connection between fish oil - the part of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids - and preventing AMD in women who do not have the disease or have undeteced early signs of the disease, but have not been diagnosed yet. These fatty acids have already been experimentally connected to protecting individuals from cardiovascular disease. About 9 million adults in the United States over the age of 40 experience some level of AMD and while a majority of that number only experiences it in its early stages, there are still around 1.7 million of these adults who experience the advanced stage of the illness, which results in a serious loss of vision. Up until these experiments, there has been no recognized method that can prevent or slow the onset of AMD aside from advising individuals not to smoke cigarettes. The study was performed to determine whether or not diet functions as a prevention tool of AMD and so tens of thousands food questionnaires were completed by female health professionals enrolled in a heart disease and cancer prevention trial called the Women's Health Study. The study began in 1993, no men were included, all participants were in their 40's when it began, and none of the participants had AMD. Eye health was tracked over the course of the decade in which the study was performed as well. During the course of this experiment, 235 women developed AMD and it was reported that those who consumed the largest amount of omega-3 fatty acids had about a 38% lower risk of developing AMD in comparison to those women who consumed the smallest amount of omega-3s fatty acids. Also, those who consumed one or more servings of fish every week had a 42% lower risk of developing AMD than those who only consumed fish once a month or less. While many scientists and doctors find this information unsurprising, it is still a helpful and important scientific find because the connection is strong enough to release as legitimate information despite the fact that confirming experiments have yet to be completed.
This article is related to the real world because it provides a clear link between fish and preventing a serious disease that if developed will drastically change an individual's life. Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that basically contributes to the destruction of sharp, central vision, which is crucial for common every day tasks such as reading or driving. Thus, individuals who develop this disease will have to make serious changes in their every day lifestyles because they will no longer be able to drive themselves or even do simple tasks like reading a recipe, reading directions, or reading labels on grocery store items. When experiments such as the one spoken of within this article are released to the public, the information spreads rapidly within society, which may eventually lead to a decrease in numbers of people who develop AMD or at least a decrease in the number of people who develop AMD into a serious stage. Also, with this information, scientists and doctors will be able to develop further and create things like vitamins specifically high in omega-3 fatty acids, targeting individuals who are at higher risk of developing AMD due to genetics for example. Finally, this information may bring researchers closer to finding a treatment or cure that can reverse the damage done by AMD so that if an individual is incapable of preventing the development of age-related macular degeneration, then he or she will be able to seek a treatment that lessens the conditions that the disease entails.
This article is actually semi-relevant to my life because just yesterday I went to a restaurant and ordered sushi. When I asked my friend if salmon is good or not, she responded that it is and that it is also extremely good for me because it is filled with omega-3's. Me, not knowing much about what specific foods are rich in, did not know this information. Upon reading this article, I learned that omega-3 fatty acids were originally sought after because of their ability to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is one of the leading killers in the United States today. Now I have learned that omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent the possible onset of AMD. I clicked on the article because one of my good friends from home has a genetic family history of serious age-related macular degeneration and has been told by her doctor that she can expect to develop the disease later in her life. her grandmother has AMD in a serious stage and is legally blind, which is very debilitating due to the fact that she lives alone. This same friend's mother has begun to experience the eye degenerating symptoms, which shows exactly how the disease can impact an individual's every day life. Therefore, articles such as this one are important for the public to see because of the significant information that they provide. If people such as my friend see or hear this informati0n, then they are probably more likely to consume omega-3 fatty acids and decrease their risk of experiencing macular degeneration later on in their lifetimes.
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/food/diet-nutrition/2011-03-15-eating-fish_N.htm
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