Sanofi Helps Bridge the Omega-3 Gap

Despite the diversity and uniqueness of Asian cuisine, you may be surprised to know that in terms of nutrition, Asians still pale in comparison to their Western counterparts, particularly when it comes to omega-3 intake.

Studies show that awareness and understanding of omega-3 among Asian consumers is significantly lower than in Western nations such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA, where consumer awareness has been high for over 20 years.

To help correct this situation, sanofi-aventis, makers of Cenovis Fish Oil has recently launched the Omega-3 Academy Asia, a newly-formed professional body of medical experts committed to increasing awareness and understanding of omega-3.



Arla Ampil-Obligacion, CHC Business Unit Director-Sanofi-Aventis; Mina Grace Aquino, Science Research Specialist 2, FNRI; Rachelle Gamboa, Marketing Manager, Sanofi-Aventis; Dr. Eugene Reyes; Dr. Tommy Ty-Willing

Dr. Tommy Ty-Willing

Mina Grace Aquino, Science Research Specialist 2, FNRI

Says sanofi-aventis marketing manager Rachelle Gamboa, “In addition to the significant research and development (R&D) that is invested into the production of effective healthcare solutions, sanofi-aventis Consumer Healthcare also invests a great deal of time and resource into providing vital consumer and healthcare professional information and support to improve the health and well‐being of people across Asia, and the rest of the world.”

Omega-3 Academy Asia boasts of esteemed members, from Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, whose expertise cover a broad range of areas including clinical nutrition, cardiology, family health and diabetology.

Professor Andrew Sinclair, chair of the Omega-3 Academy Asia and chair in Nutrition Science at the School of Medicine, Deakin University, Australia said: “Modern Asian diets are becoming increasingly convenience-based; with higher levels of saturated fats and decreasing amounts of fish resulting in decreased omega-3 intake. This has coincided with an increased level of coronary heart disease and other health issues.”

Omega-3 intake across the Asia region is generally considered to be below daily recommended guidelines; however there is currently a lack of accurate clinical data. Consumers in the Philippines are not consuming enough omega-3; fish consumption has decreased from 36kg to 31kg per person per annum, in just 11 years.

Dr. Eugene Torres

Cardiologist Dr. Eugene Reyes commented: “There is an urgent need to educate Filipino consumers on omega-3 to overcome current misperceptions. For example, only certain types of fresh saltwater and freshwater fish have high omega-3 content, and extreme heat may destabilise omega-3 fatty acids DHA & EPA. Many consumers also don’t know how much omega-3 should be consumed to benefit their health; this is why we have formed the Omega-3 Academy Asia.”

The Academy is undertaking a targeted educational program to raise awareness and understanding of the health benefits of fish oil and omega-3 amongst consumers and healthcare professionals in Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.

“There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that omega-3 can have a positive impact on heart health, joint issues and brain development and we should all strive to reach the reccomended daily intake levels to optimise our health,” Professor Sinclair adds.

To help consumers get their omega-3 fish oil requirement, many have come to rely upon Cenovis Fish Oil, an all-natural fish oil supplement that contains essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Cenovis Fish Oil is a supplement that has scientifically proven benefits on brain development and health, joint and heart health.

International guidelines recommend that an adult should consume 500 milligrams of fish oil per day. This can be achieved by eating 2-3 servings of oily fish per week. For people with heart disease, double this amount is recommended (1,000 milligrams of fish oil per day). There are reports on the side effects of fish oil: diarrhea and skin rash. However, test results find these inconclusive and not directly attributable to fish oils.

Costing less than P10 per capsule, Cenovis Fish Oil comes from Peruvian waters, one of the world’s cleanest seas. Unlike other fish oil that come from shark, cod and other big fish, Cenovis Fish Oil comes from 3 kinds of small fish: anchovies, mackerel and sardines. These are small deep sea fish that reproduce easily, thus, no worries of extinction. Additionally, these fishes have a short lifespan making them less exposed to pollutants and contamination in the seas.

Individually packed for freshness, the fish oil extraction of Cenovis is done in a highly-advanced and sanitary process in Norway, which makes it odorless and with no fishy aftertaste.


Dr. Eugene Reyes; Arla Ampil-Obligacion, CHC Business Unit Director, Sanofi-Aventis; Mina Grace Aquino, Science Research Specialist 2, FNRI; Rachelle Gamboa, Marketing Manager, Sanofi-Aventis; Dr. May Pagunsan, Medical Director, Sanofi-Aventis; Dr. Tommy Ty-Willing