London, Jan 15 (IANS): Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, says a Finnish study.

Earlier findings on how fish consumption or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids affect the risk of diabetes have been contradictory.

“Our study has found that high concentrations of serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is useful in reducing type 2 diabetes,” said researchers from University of Eastern Finland.

The researchers went through the serum omega-3 fatty acid concentrations of 2,212 men between 42 and 60 years of age at the onset of the study.

During a follow-up of nearly 20 years, 422 men were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

The risk of men in the highest serum omega-3 fatty acid concentration group to develop type 2 diabetes was 33 percent lower than the risk of men in the lowest concentration group, said the study published in the journal Diabetes Care.

The study sheds new light on the association between fish consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A well-balanced diet should include at least two fish meals per week, preferably fatty fish.

Fish rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, rainbow trout, bream, herring, anchovy, sardine and mackerel, it added.