READY to hear the fats of life? Well men, listen up.

We've all heard essential fatty acids (EFAs) are important for pregnant women and children, but they can also help reduce the risks of some serious health problems in men.

Essential fatty acids are vital fats that the body can't make, so they must be consumed regularly. Men need to consume around 600mg per day (women need around 450mg) for optimal health.

Today we're getting less of the good fats and a lot more of the bad. In our ancestor's day, the average person consumed a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3of around one to one.

Now we're consuming around 20 to one and this imbalance has had dramatic health repercussions, particularly for men.

Increasing good fats in the diet can result in a drop in men's risks of heart disease, certain cancers and mental conditions.

Conquering cancer

In a study involving 6272 men over 30 years of age, Swedish researchers found that EFAs from fish can lower the risk of prostate cancer.

The study suggests that men who eat no fish are two to three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who consume moderate to high amounts.

But to lower the risk, you need to consume fish high in omega-3.

Brain food

Research proves that fish is brain food.

Peter Clough, managing director of Efamol (a health supplement company that specialises in EFA research and development) says, "We're suffering a mental health crisis epidemic in Australia where one in five adults has a mental health issue."

And men are affected more by mental illness than women. However, improving mental wellbeing could be as simple as boosting men's intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Researcher Joseph Hibbeln, from the USA's National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, discovered that "in countries where little seafood is eaten, the risk of depression is 50 times higher than in countries where a great deal of seafood is consumed".

Worldwide, omega-3 fatty acid trials are showing promising results in reducing the symptoms in men with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, stress, depression and aggression, with doses of fish oil improving the participants' mental wellbeing.

Clough believes this may be due to the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contained in fish oil which is important in helping to maintain the dopamine cells which regulate how well we feel.

Heart moves

Heart disease is a major killer in the western world.

So it's exciting that a 20-year study of Dutch men found that coronary artery disease was more than 50 per cent lower in men who consumed at least 30g of fish per week, compared to men with no fish in their diet.

Fish oil has also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by around 13 per cent, as well as lowering blood pressure and blood triglycerides (a type of fat occurring in the blood).

CSIRO research has shown that Australian seafood contains higher levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids than other food sources.

So it makes sense for men to include a couple of seafood meals a week in their diet, as well as some plant sources.

Aloysa Hourigan, senior nutritionist from Nutrition Australia, suggests ways to increase levels of essential fatty acids: "Try having a fish meal for dinner once a week and tinned sardines for breakfast on another day. Or have some tinned tuna or salmon in a sandwich."

If you can't eat fish, try wholegrain breads and cereals and include raw nuts in the diet. Or look to add to your diet with high-quality supplements.

So come on boys, net yourself some health benefits.

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