Lack of omega 3s in diets highlighted by Aker BioMarine short film

27 Oct 2017 --- Krill-derived products supplier Aker BioMarine has launched a global health awareness film called “Life is About Balance.” The film contrasts a young woman’s life with those of her family in Greenland to highlight the potential negative effects of a lack of omega 3s in people’s diets.

In the film, Maria’s daily routines include hardcore exercise and a balanced diet. Maria’s lifestyle ticks all the right boxes. However, she gets a “rude awakening” as she goes back to her roots and visits her family in Greenland, only to test her omega 3 index and discover that she has been living an imbalanced life for the past few years.

“To set the scene, we traveled back to a remote area in Greenland. We followed a family living in Kapisillit, a fishing village, to experience first-hand how they live as one with nature, unaffected by the modern Western diet and lifestyle,” says Per-Olav Sørensen, the award-winning Norwegian director of the film.

“With this raw, scenic film, we want to touch a nerve and make people reflect on their own lives, and find the motivation to improve life balance,” says Sørensen.

Awareness is key
“Research and education are key driving forces in the omega 3 market, which is why we have put a lot of focus on raising awareness around omega 3 deficiency,” Katrin Berntsen, Director of Communication at Aker Biomarine, tells NutritionInsight.

“We recently formed the Omega 3 Index Project with several industry partners to bring more awareness to the ramifications of having low omega 3 levels,” adds Berntsen. “Created in collaboration with Dr. Bill Harris, The Omega 3 Index Project provides tools that will help consumers and health practitioners alike, identify, correct and maintain healthy levels of omega 3s EPA and DHA. The cornerstone of the Project is the Omega 3 Index Test, which is a simple nutritional tool that measures the amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cells.”

Aker Biomarine points out that the hypothesis of a possible relationship between omega 3 consumption and reduced risk of heart disease appeared in the late 70’s when two Danish scientists sought to understand how the Greenland Inuits could eat a high-fat diet and still have low levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

However, statistics show that we are becoming unhealthier because of the lifestyles we choose to live, according to Aker Biomarine. A recent study published in Nutrients compared data from the US and Germany and concluded that despite adequate knowledge of the health benefits and food sources of omega 3, 98 percent of the participants fell below the optimal range.

“Having insufficient omega 3 levels puts us at higher risk for chronic disease, such as heart disease, suboptimal brain function, increased likelihood for major depression, and other health issues,” says Dr. Nils Hoem, Chief Scientist at Aker BioMarine.

A recent report from the World Economic Forum and the Harvard School of Public Health paints a gloomy picture. During the next 15 years, healthcare costs related to treating lifestyle diseases that Aker Biomarine suggests can be avoided by consuming more omega 3s will accumulate to more than US$22 trillion globally.

“Education is key when it comes to preventing these type of lifestyle diseases, which is why we are making awareness a priority. Finding the right balance is key to putting us on the right track of becoming healthier,” says Dr. Hoem.

The video can be seen here.