Fish consumption and hypertension incidence in African Americans and whites: the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study.

We sought to test the hypothesis that increased consumption of fish is associated with decreased incidence of essential hypertension. Data on fish consumption and incidence of hypertension from a national cohort of 5,394 blacks and whites normotensive at baseline and followed 10 years in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS) were analyzed. Our results showed that whites aged 25-74 years had no significant association of fish consumption with incidence of hypertension. In black women, after adjusting for multiple risk factors, those who increased their fish intake from <1 time/week to > or = 1 time/week had RR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.22-0.81, p = 0.009. However, those with high intake both times had adjusted RR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.45-1.26, p = 0.28. No consistent significant associations of fish consumption with hypertension incidence were found, perhaps because fish consumption in this population was low. Further studies are needed in blacks.