Diet and the evolution of the brain

Fish and no chips

The wonders of docosahexaenoic acid

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Readers' comments


AB ve

This is a typical example of science ignoring sociology.
The Author writes "Countries whose citizens eat more fish (which is rich in DHA) are less prone to depression, suicide and murder."

What are the Japanese eating that they have a high rate of depression and suicide?


So as we deplete the fish stocks we eat less DHA. We become violent and agrressive and kill many of our numbers. Pollutants created earlier bio-degrade, the earth cools down. Fish stocks increase, we eat more DHA and become less violent. The population increases and depletes the fish stocks. And so it goes on. So who cares about recycling and global warming? The greenies can go fish!


Omega 3 oils do not only come from fish. As Michael Pollan explains in his book The Omnivore's Dilemma, free-range, grass fed cattle as well as other land animals have high amounts of omega 3's in their meat, in stark contrast with grain fed animals, whose meat has almost no omega 3's and instead a high amount of omega 6 oils. It is only in recent years that most Americans have been eating grain-fed animals from factory farms, a switch that coincides with the obesity epidemic. If people were to get all of their meat protein from free-range, grass fed animals on local farms, it would go a long way toward boosting the omega 3's in their diet, without having to eat fish or take supplements.


AB ve: Actually fish consumption has been declining in Japan, where the standard diet has been becoming more Americanized since the war.


Fish-eaters of the GOM areas will take some comfort from this report, as their DHA levels should soar, eating post-Headwater-oil-spill fish - spewing DHA from every gill!

Maybe BP, Halliberten & kind will use this argument to quell the public panic about the encroaching enviro-calamity engulfing the GOM - pardon the pun.


This article is somewhat one-sided (the author should have followed through more on the description of the conference as a "love-in") and thus falls a bit below The Economist's standards for science writing. It is quite surprising that the author seems not to be aware of the New Scientist article referenced by kinsai below and the scepticism of one of the scientists given prominence in that article, especially with regard to the claims of Dr. Hibbeln. As regards the latter's findings on obesity, it strikes this lay reader as rather simplisitc to attribute the obesity epidemic to a single molecule or lack thereof. Clearly, the science is more complicated and the benefits less certain than The Economist author allows him,/herself to assume.

Ramon Insua

I understand from my very limited knowledge -since I'm only a nutrition conscious ovo-lacto-vegetarian- that there are small amounts of DHA in eggs too. Vegans get their DHA (when they're concerned about it which isn't very often) from algae supplements and also from flaxseed oil (very rich in Omega3). Funny the Author did not find this information interesting enough to put in his article. I haven't eaten fish in more than 6 years and I'm not more prone to violence, suicide or depression than I was when I used to have sardines for breakfast and Sushi for lunch every day (which I did for about 3 years after reading in another very prestigious magazine that fish was very good for increasing men's sex drive which isn't different at all either [or became then when I started the fishy diet]). I guess what I'd like to say is that everything is good in moderation only. If you eat much fish you get mercury in your blood. How much depends on where you live apparently.


When Jeeves was asked how he managed to solve problems for his boss Bertram Wooster,he gave credit to his eating more fish. This could be true. In my experience,
regular intake of Cod liver oil brings benefits to children in body building,immunity
from allergies,improving IQ and memory. After decades, I still feel the taste of
HALIBUTS ORANGE which I would strongly recommend to children and the ill people.
Alas, this product is no longer available.

Les Likely

I seem to recall reading that the fish get their DHA from the algae in the seawater c.f., So one possible remedy is to figure out how to grow and harvest the appropriate varieties of algae and use them in creating nutritious products - preferably without trashing the ecosystems involved.


Only sustainable source for Omega3 appears to be milk of grass fed cows. Meat is expected to loose ground on sane water foot print considerations.Pharamaceutical industry having latched on to Omega3 are causing fast depletion of natural fish resources around the world. Flax seed as well as Chia seed can be supplements but can not be expected to meet the commodity level demand for Omega3. For this grass fed cow's milk may appear to be the only answer. Modern technological innovations like aquaponics fodder, and algae sources could help in relieving pressure on agriculture land for enhancing availability of pasture for grass feeding. Grass fed cow's Milk has been the ancient Indian tradition of the world's oldest surviving civilization, that may be taken up more seriously.


To monsoon85,

Good insight, but this type of scientific nutritionism--the benefits/risks of individual nutrients--is the sort of stuff that Michael Pollan specifically argues against. It seems quite paradoxical that, in spite of our fascination with scientific nutrition, chronic diseases, even in young adulthood, are on the rise in rich and up-and-coming countries.


As far as I know, very effective is only the long chain omega-3 fatty acid molecule, derived from animal sources. The body can make only very limited use of short chain omega-3 from plant sources like flax seed, wallnuts etc.


Chia seed, used by early native Americans as endurance food, is more than 19 per cent Omega 3, not quite as much as fish oil. Add to cereal, saves having to bother with capsules all day long, grown commercially in Australia.


@ gossypol

that does not explain anything. The Japanese engaged in suicide due to culture specific factors long before the war. And the Japanese do still eat a lot of fish no matter what "drop" you are speaking of.


As someone who was invited but could not attend said 'love-in', I'd like to add that the parting message of this piece should have included practical advice, not just a question of sustainability.

If we all ate seafood at the rates we should, the oceans would be empty. Genetically altering soy and corn may be the answer, but it's an uphill public relations battle. In the meantime, pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements may be a stop-gap measure to prevent global-scale dietary imbalances. (No affiliation to above link)

The technology to harvest DHA from algae exists. It's sustainable and pure. But unfortunately still expensive. Deriving EPA (the OTHER Omega-3) from algae, however, is much trickier for some reason. Seafood provides EPA and DHA in balanced ratios and ignoring EPA risks avoiding the issue of silent inflammation.

But that's another love-in for another time.

Good health.



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