Significant association demonstrated between fish consumption and severity of the main ocular complication of diabetes mellitus
A study, published in Scientific Report, was aimed at testing the association between fish consumption and the degree of severity of diabetic retinopathy in Asian individuals with type 2 diabetes.
The research was conducted as part of the Singapore Diabetes Management Project and included a total of 357 people with diabetes, living in Singapore, with an average age of 58 years, 31% women and 78% ethnic Chinese.
Fish consumption was assessed by means of a questionnaire administered over three years. Frequency of fish intake was assessed per day, per week and per month or never/rarely, with reference to a standard 90 g portion.
The degrees of severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) were staged as: no retinopathy, mild-to-moderate retinopathy or severe retinopathy, according to the ETDRS scale. Detection of the degree of RD was carried out through digital photos of the fundus.
On the results, Dr. Leopold Schmetterer of the research team stated that there was a clear correlation between cholesterol levels and severity of DR and that an association between different degrees of severity of DR and fish consumption was reported. Thus, higher fish consumption by patients with type 2 diabetes was found to have protective effects with respect to DR in the Asian population, whose diet in this regard differs from that of other ethnic groups.
However, this positive association has also been found to be valid among other ethnic groups, so it appears to have a biological basis that persists beyond the characteristics of different ethnicities.
Source
Chua J, Chia AR, Chee ML, et al. The relationship of dietary fish intake to diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular caliber in patients with type 2 diabetes. Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 15;8(1):730. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-18930-6.
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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