But as Lichtenstein says, a low-fat diet does not produce instant results. Eating healthy actually requires a lifelong commitment, says Lichtenstein, who serves on the American Heart Association's nutrition committee. And Lichtenstein says that the actual benefits of a healthy diet may be greater than the numbers reported by Hooper because the new analysis lumped together studies that were very different in design. She explains that while all 27 diet studies assessed the effect of healthy dietary interventions, some were specifically designed to limit saturated fats, while others limited polyunsaturated fat or monounsaturated fats. In other cases, especially a study from Oslo, Norway, the emphasis was on eating fatty fish, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Fatty fish are tuna, salmon, mackerel, and swordfish.
After they get used to fish, we can start talking about fatty fish. The result, Lichtenstein says, is a potpourri of dietary interventions, all of which may offer some benefit. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.