Eating more foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such walnuts and seeds, could lower the risk of developing 14 different cancers, a recent study has found.
The two nutrients are types of fat associated with lower cholesterol levels, better brain health and longevity—especially omega-3, which is generally considered less inflammatory.
Sources of omega-3 include fatty fish—such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout—as well as flaxseeds, walnuts, fish oil supplements and cod liver oil. Omega-6 is found in vegetable oils such as canola oil, nuts, seeds, eggs and avocado.
“Higher omega-3 and omega-6 levels were associated with lower rates of cancer,” said Yuchen Zhang, lead author of the study from the University of Georgia, U.S., in a statement. “These findings suggest that the average person should focus on getting more of these fatty acids in their diets.”
Zhang and the team of scientists used data from 250,000 people who took part in the U.K. Biobank study: a large medical study following more than half a million Brits for more than a decade.
After approximately 12 years, almost 30,000 of the quarter-of-a-million participants involved in the University of Georgia study had developed some form of cancer.
Analyzing levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their blood plasma, the scientists found that higher levels of these nutrients were associated with a lower risk of developing cancer.
Participants who had higher levels of omega-3 were less likely to develop colon, stomach, lung, and other digestive tract cancers, whereas higher omega-6 levels were associated with a lower risk of 14 different cancers, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and more.
Omega-3 and omega-6 are believed to compete in the body, and the Western diet is considered by many nutrition experts to be too high in omega-6 and not high enough in omega-3. As such, it is common for nutritionists to advise against consuming additional omega-6 fatty acids, for instance in the form of seed oils.
However, this study found that higher levels of both fatty acids were associated with lower cancer risk, but people with higher levels of omega-3 were slightly more likely to develop prostate cancer.
“For women, it’s an easy decision: eat more omega-3,” said Associate Professor Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study from the University of Georgia, in a statement.
The scientists found a strong beneficial effect of omega-6 in younger participants, especially young women. But omega-3 seemed most protective for older participants, men, and current smokers.
This study was published in the International Journal of Cancer in October.
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Reference
Zhang, Y., Sun, Y., Song, S., Khankari, N. K., Brenna, J. T., Shen, Y., Ye, K. (2024). Associations of plasma omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids with overall and 19 site-specific cancers: A population-based cohort study in UK Biobank, International Journal of Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.35226
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