Seafood and sunshine a recipe for good health

MEDIA RELEASE 26 December 2007

SEAFOOD & SUNSHINE A RECIPE FOR GOOD HEALTH

Researchers say they build immunity and strong bones

SEAFOOD and sunshine: combining these over the holidays will boost immunity and build strong bones, according to international researchers.

Mr Roy Palmer, the Australian link in a worldwide network researching and communicating information on the health benefits of seafood, said both contribute to stores of Vitamin D, essential for proper immune function and bone growth.

“Doctors are telling us now that millions of Australians are living with dangerously low levels of vitamin D, putting them at risk of developing fractures,” Mr Palmer said.

“For example, Professor Peter Ebeling, head of Osteoporosis Australia, has linked low levels of vitamin D to an increase in the number of people with osteoporosis-related broken bones in this country going up from a daily average of 177 to 262.

“And Professor Terry Diamond, an endocrinologist at Sydney's St George Hospital, has been reported as saying at least 20% to 30% of the population have insufficient vitamin D levels, and Australia remains the skin cancer capital of the world, with more than 9500 cases of melanoma diagnosed every year and 1600 deaths. But experts believe the Slip, Slop, Slap message must be balanced with an awareness campaign that a healthy lifestyle requires some sunlight.

Melbourne Pathology director Ken Sikaris, who oversees about 1500 vitamin D tests a week, said regardless of age and sex, half his patients had insufficient levels.

"It's mind-boggling," Dr Sikaris said. "It suggests it's a common phenomenon. I think it (Slip Slop Slap) is a pendulum and it's gone a bit too far."

Bone disorder expert John Wark, of the Royal Melbourne Hospital, said the trend augured badly for the millions of middle-aged Australians.

"Crisis is a pretty emotive word but all the available information would suggest this is likely to impact badly on the health of older people unless we can find a solution," he said.

"The middle-aged people of today are going to be the old people of tomorrow."

He said variations in climate, skin colour and time of day made a universal sun-smart policy difficult to construct, but said coming up with a sun-smart message that highlighted the need for adequate vitamin D levels, was "going to be critical rather than getting everybody popping vitamin D tablets".

The Australian Cancer council's Craig Sinclair said sun-smart messages do not recommend people use protection such as sunscreen or hats in southern states in winter.

He said people who were not at risk of vitamin D deficiency should not use it as an excuse to sunbake. But he acknowledged some groups, such as the housebound, or those with dark skin, were at greater risk.

How Vitamin D works:

- Vitamin D is produced in the body after sunlight exposure. Some is found in foods, particularly fatty fish. When sunlight is absorbed by the skin, it combines with cholesterol to produce vitamin D.

- The vitamin is then circulated to the liver and kidneys where it undergoes further chemical change. This produces the active form of the nutrient. Some vitamin D obtained through diet is active when it enters the body.

- The active form is circulated to the bone and intestines, where it helps with calcium absorption. It helps lower the risk of cancers, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Source: Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby, Menzies Research Institute, Tasmania

Melbourne Pathology director, Ken Sikaris, who oversees about 1500 vitamin D tests a week, has said around half his patients have insufficient levels. It is a very serious situation.”

Mr Palmer said extra sunlight and extra seafood were excellent ways to boost Vitamin D back to healthy levels.

“In Australia, where the risk of skin cancer is on everyone’s mind, many people are now obviously cautious about exposure to sunshine. At the same time, however, some exposure to sunshine is necessary to help build Vitamin D levels. Another good way, of course, is to consume Vitamin D directly from seafood.

“Vitamin D is produced in the body after sunlight exposure and it’s also taken in directly from some foods, particularly fish. The vitamin is then circulated to the liver and kidneys where it undergoes further chemical change. This produces the active form of the nutrient, which is circulated to the bone and intestines to help with calcium absorption.

“Besides helping to build strong bones, Vitamin D is also considered now to lower the risk of some cancers, and in fact is good for building immunity to a range of potential illnesses.”

Mr Palmer said seafood contained a number of nutrients recently listed as essential for building immunity by Professor Philip Calder, Professor of Nutritional Immunology at the University of Southampton in the UK, and one of Europe’s leading nutrition researchers.

“Professor Calder has studied key dietary ingredients for boosting the immune system and recently listed vital nutrients as zinc, selenium, vitamin D and the long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid (oil). All are found in seafood.

“Zinc, which improves the number of infection-fighting T cells, can be found in good quantities in oysters in particular. Selenium is available in a wide range of fish and other seafood. Vitamin D is common in oily fish especially, fish such as Mullet, Sardines, Swordfish and Mackerels, and Omega-3s comprise the good oil everyone already associates with fish oil.

“I met Professor Calder when he was a featured speaker at an international conference in Cairns in 2006 hosted by the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) -- basically the world experts on edible oils -- and I know he is an enthusiast for higher consumption of fish and other seafood.

“We congratulate Professor Calder in winning the Nutricia International Award for his pioneering research into nutritional immunology. His work has proven conclusively that people who suffer nutrient deficiencies have impaired immunity and increased susceptibility to infections.

“Not just at Christmas but all year round, getting sensible exposure to sunlight and eating two to three meals a week of fish will help boost Vitamin D levels. Eating fish and other seafood will also boost immunity to a wide range of illnesses.”

FURTHER INFORMATION: Mr Roy Palmer 0419 528 733

Also see:

Seafood Services Australia website

Recent article on Vitamin D deficiency

Background on Professor Peter Ebeling

Background on Prof. Philip Calder

Issued: Wed Apr 2 7:58:12 EST

Reference-id: SSANEWS0216

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