May 17, 2016 — The following is an excerpt from a story published today by Food Ingredients First, which explains how Omega-3 supplements can save EU healthcare providers billions of dollars every year. A similar study by Dr. Doug Bibus, president of Lipid Technologies, was published in the journal Lipid Technology earlier this year. Bibus’s study found that Omega-3 fatty acids from menhaden oil could save billions of dollars in U.S. healthcare costs.
More widespread regular consumption of Omega 3 supplements could save healthcare systems and providers in the EU a total of €12.9 billion ($14.69 billion) a year, according to an independent study commissioned by Food Supplements Europe.
Using existing published literature and official data, researchers at Frost & Sullivan explored the financial benefits of the consumption of Omega 3 EPA+DHA food supplements among people aged 55 and over. This demographic group, representing 157.6 million people or 31% of the total EU population, is considered to be at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Overall it is forecast that in the EU, 24% of people aged 55 and over (i.e. 38.4 million people) are in danger of experiencing a CVD-attributed hospital event between 2016 and 2020. This is expected to cost as much as €1.328 trillion ($1.512 trillion) over this five-year period – equivalent to €34,637 ($39,453) per event.