Fish Preparation as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Activity in African American Men and Women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of fish preparation to predict to predict cardiovascular reactivity to stress in African American men and women. Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that fish preparation would significantly predict cardiovascular reactivity to stress. Specifically, consumptions of fish prepared in a healthy manner (grilling and baking) would be associated with lower cardiovascular activity and consumption of fish prepared in an unhealthy manner (frying) would be associated with greater cardiovascular activity. Methods: One hundred and thirty-one African-American students (30 men and 101 women) between the ages of 18 and 28 years participated in the study. Heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, mean arterial pressure and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured as the participants viewed a racially noxious scene on a digital video. Cardiovascular measurements were taken prior to the scene (pre-stressor period), during the scene (stressor period), and after the scene (recovery period). Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that fish preparation significantly predicted diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure. These findings revealed that consumption of fish prepared in an unhealthy manner was associated with lower levels of cardiovascular activity in this African American college sample.