Researchers at Brown University found that people who ate an average of 42.8 grams of fish each day were 22% more likely to develop malignant melanoma than people who rarely ate fish rarely.
This figure does not mean that participants eat fish every day, but more than once a week.
People who ate tuna regularly were more likely to develop melanoma. (AP)
According to the study, people who ate tuna regularly were a little more likely to develop malignant melanoma than people who ate fried fish.
The study’s author, Eunyoung Cho, suspected that fish contaminants could be behind the risk of cancer.
“Hopefully our findings could possibly be attributed to fish contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, arsenic and mercury,” Cho said.
“Previous research has found that higher fish intake is associated with higher levels of these contaminants within the body and have identified associations between these contaminants and an increased risk of skin cancer.”
Eating fried fish increased the chances of developing melanoma, according to a US study. (new)
The study analyzed data from 491,367 adults in the United States.
Weight, physical activity, and alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco were taken into account, as well as a family history and average levels of UV radiation in your local area.
But researchers note that the study did not take into account other risk factors, such as polka dot count, hair color, history of sunburn and lifestyle choices.
Newcastle University professor of health sciences Clare Collins said that while the correlation is not the same as causality, the study cannot be ignored.
But he noted that Australian fish were much less likely to be contaminated and remained a healthy eating option here.
“The role of contaminants that may be present in some fish needs to be considered,” he said.
“More studies are needed in other cohorts that also evaluate PCBs and exposure to other pollutants, including dioxins, arsenic, and mercury, while adjusting for individual confounding factors such as sun exposure, skin type, and the history of sunburns to verify or refute these findings. “
The best way to prevent skin cancer is to avoid sunburn. (Edwina Pickles / Sydney Morning Herald)
“Given the positive aspects of eating fish, such as heart health, and that this fish is a nutritious food, my advice to Australians would be to eat fish caught in Australian or New Zealand waters.”
Matthew Browne of the Melanoma Institute said it was important to consider the most important ways to prevent skin cancer.
“With an Australian dying of melanoma every six hours, it’s crucial that we don’t confuse or obscure the prevention message,” Browne said.
“The scientific evidence is clear: sun exposure is the biggest risk factor for developing melanoma. It is critical that all Australians have a safe life to reduce the risk of melanoma.”
He noted that an Australian dies of melanoma every six hours.
The best way to prevent melanoma is to avoid sunburn or tanning.