Longevity interests Italians more and more and the first question concerns the table. 93% would like to know more about the benefits of foods in terms of pro-longevity, while 70.5% consider fresh or preserved fish a useful food thanks to Omega 3. This is what emerges from an AstraRicerche survey commissioned by the National Association of Fish and Tuna Preservers (Ancit), conducted in 2026 on a sample of over a thousand Italians between 18 and 65 years old.
It's not just a question of health. An economy is developing around the extension of life that involves consumption, services and lifestyles. It is the so-called Longevity Economy, which according to the Study Center of Social Security Routes in Italy generates an estimated value of around 700 billion euros. And nutrition is one of the areas in which change is already visible: over 50% of over 50s choose and purchase food also based on their age and health needs.
Longevity in the shopping cart
The investigation photographs an interest that crosses eating habits. Among the most frequent answers when it comes to nutrition and longevity are the reduction of fatty foods, indicated by 52.2%, the decrease in alcohol consumption, by 49.5%, and the Mediterranean diet, chosen by 42.7%.
But it is above all the theme of proteins that emerges when interviewees are asked which foods they consider valuable for counteracting the loss of strength and muscle function linked to ageing. 68.8% indicates fish, meat, legumes and eggs. Fish, fresh or preserved, is also considered by 70.5% to be a food useful for longevity due to the presence of Omega 3.
These are data that photograph an ongoing change: longevity is becoming one of the keys with which a growing part of Italians look at their food choices.
The role of fish
In the survey, fish is associated above all with its nutritional component. 40.2% of those interviewed consider it an excellent source of mineral salts, 30.8% a source of proteins of high biological value and 26.9% recognize its richness in vitamin D.
On a different level there is scientific evidence. A review published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition summarized the results of 63 observational studies, finding an association between a higher intake of fish-derived Omega 3 and a lower incidence of acute coronary syndrome and cardiovascular disease. A meta-analysis published in Nutrients also examined the relationship between fish consumption and cardiovascular health: two or three weekly portions of 150 grams are associated with a reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular events by 8-10%, with a particularly relevant role attributed to species defined as "fatty fish" or oily fish.
The case of canned tuna
The consumption of canned fish falls within this scenario. For 37.8% of those interviewed, canned tuna is a practical source of proteins and nutrients, while for 33.2% it is a practical solution for eating fish. Practicality is an important element in the relationship between nutrition and contemporary lifestyles. 43.6% of those interviewed consider canned tuna useful when you have little time to cook, while 42.6% appreciate its long shelf life and anti-waste character.
Then there are the nutritional numbers. According to the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) database, 100 grams of drained tuna in oil provide 25.2 grams of protein, 35 micrograms of selenium, 5 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 10.4 micrograms of vitamin B3.
"Today the positive role of fish preserves is a fact - explains Luca Piretta, gastroenterologist and nutritionist at the Campus Biomedico University of Rome - they are preserved for a long time and can reach even where fish is difficult to find. We are talking about foods with important nutritional characteristics, like fresh fish, but with the advantage that they are preserved for longer and can reach even where fish is difficult to find".
On a nutritional level, fish preserves contain noble proteins, i.e. of high biological value, minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, B complex vitamins, as well as vitamins A, D and E. Furthermore, the benefits also come from the oil from the classic can of tuna, which according to Piretta can be reused in the kitchen "because it is enriched, in contact with the tuna, with polyunsaturated fats, in particular composed of Omega 3 fatty acids (Dha) and Vitamin D (cholecalciferol), naturally not present in olive oil”. The composition of oil and preserves was also analyzed in research conducted by the Experimental Station for the Food Preservation Industry (Ssica) of Parma.
The fish on the plate
