The project is a collaboration between Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre (ARC), the Norwegian National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES) and Haukeland University Hospital and is funded by the Research Council of Norway.
Statistics show that Norwegian women have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than women anywhere else in the world. A healthy diet, in particular with sufficient vitamin D, can help prevent the disease. As oily fish such as salmon are important sources of vitamin D, the researchers were curious to see whether the consumption of salmon on a frequent and regular basis would have an impact on the women’s bone density, which is affected by the disease.
125 Women are participating in the trial. All have reached their menopause and are under 65 years of age. This puts them in the stage of life where they are at the highest risk of developing osteoporosis, because they have a reduced level of oestrogen in their bodies. The women are split in two groups, one group is eating salmon twice a week and the other group is taking vitamin D supplements. The salmon group is further divided between salmon raised on two different diets. The trial will continue until May 2009 and the results are expected to be ready some time in 2010.
Skretting ARC’s contributions to the study are to develop and produce the diets for the salmon used in the trial. One group of fish is being raised on a conventional diet while the other group is receiving feeds with extra vitamin D and vitamin K.
“Our motivation for participating in this study is to use our knowledge of the relation between a fish diet and the finished fish product that goes to the consumer, helping to promote salmon as healthy food. Currently, there is a great focus on the omega-3 content of salmon, but we want people to realise that salmon is a healthy food for a several further reasons,” says senior researcher in Skretting ARC, Grethe Rosenlund.
FACT:
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become fragile and brittle, leading to a higher risk of fractures (breaks or cracks) than in normal bone.
Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals, such as calcium, more quickly than the body can replace them, leading to a loss of bone mass. As a result, bones become thinner and less dense, so that even a minor bump or accident can cause serious fractures. These are known as fragility or minimal trauma fractures.