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interviewed expert: zhu yi, associate professor of the college of food science and nutritional engineering, china agricultural university

global times health client reporter shi jie

eat the right food to slow down aging. recently, the journal "frontiers in nutrition" published a new study in my country that found that consuming 1.1 grams of omega-3 fatty acids every day can achieve the effect of delaying aging.

omega-3 fatty acids are a common type of unsaturated fatty acid that can help lower blood pressure, reduce blood lipids, fight inflammation, and maintain brain health. it is also an essential nutrient involved in the synthesis of human hormones and endogenous substances. however, the human body cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids on its own and must be supplemented through diet.

in order to further clarify the specific relationship between dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and accelerated phenotypic aging (premature aging or cliff-like aging), researchers from beijing sport university screened 20,000 participants from the u.s. national health and nutrition examination survey (nhanes) database, collected their dietary information through questionnaires, and calculated the total intake of omega-3 fatty acids (including α-linolenic acid, dha and epa, etc.). the analysis found that there was a negative correlation between omega-3 fatty acid intake and accelerated phenotypic aging. in other words, for every unit increase in omega-3 fatty acid intake, accelerated phenotypic aging decreased by an average of 0.071 units, and when the daily intake reached 1.103 grams, it was most helpful to prolong life. the new study also found that factors such as gender, age, race and hypertension may affect the anti-aging effect of omega-3 fatty acids. this means that different populations need personalized dietary guidance.

zhu yi, associate professor at the college of food science and nutritional engineering of china agricultural university, told the global times health client: "regarding the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, the china nutrition association recommends a minimum of 250 mg per person per day and a maximum of 2,000 mg. the 1.1 grams per day proposed in the above study is within the recommended range."

however, a study published in the british medical journal medicine by researchers from sun yat-sen university in may this year showed that for people without cardiovascular disease, regular supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids increases the risk of first heart disease, atrial fibrillation by 13%, and stroke by 5%. regular supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids is beneficial for people with cardiovascular disease. in view of this, zhu yi suggested that before taking additional supplements, it is best to confirm the extent of one's own omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and whether one is at risk of cardiovascular disease.

zhu yi said that in the modern diet, the intake of omega-6 fatty acids far exceeds the amount required for human metabolism, while the intake of omega-3 fatty acids is very low, resulting in a serious imbalance between the two. according to the world health organization's recommendation, the optimal ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is 4:1. therefore, while reasonably supplementing omega-3 fatty acids, the intake of omega-6 fatty acids should also be controlled to achieve the golden ratio.

omega-6 fatty acids are commonly found in corn, soybeans, pork, beef, poultry (chicken, duck, etc.), eggs, and dairy products, while omega-3 fatty acids are more common in plant foods such as soybeans, nuts, perilla seed oil, flaxseed oil, and deep-sea fish.

if you want to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids in your daily life, zhu yi suggests that you can use perilla seed oil and flaxseed oil as daily oils; consume a certain amount of nuts every day, such as 3 walnuts; eat more soy products; eat deep-sea fish twice a week, etc. compared with dietary supplements, current research results on the effects of dietary supplements such as deep-sea fish oil are not ideal. therefore, zhu yi emphasized that a healthy lifestyle and a balanced dietary pattern are more important than emphasizing the intake of a single nutrient. for patients with hyperlipidemia, in order to achieve ideal blood lipid goals, in addition to supplementing more omega-3 fatty acids in the daily diet, they also need to take medication as prescribed by the doctor. ▲

editor: deng yu

editor-in-chief: zhang fang