Fish Consumption in Relation to Different Dietary Characteristics

Abstract

ISEE-0091 Background and Objective: It has been suggested that at least a part of the health benefits of fish consumption could be explained by a generally healthy dietary pattern. Our aim was to study fish consumption in relation to food consumption and nutrient intake, i.e., diet as a whole. Methods: The study population consisted of 114 professional fishermen and 115 fishermen's wives (the Fishermen study), and 580 males and 715 females of the nationally representative Health 2000 Health Examination Survey (the Health 2000 sub-study). Dietary data were collected using a validated food-frequency questionnaire on whole diet. Spearman correlation coefficients and means by fish consumption tertiles with P-values for linear trend were calculated. Age and energy intake were adjusted for in the analyses. Results: Fish consumption was 85% higher among the fishermen than among the Health 2000 sub-study men, and 45% higher among the fishermen's wives than among the Health 2000 sub-study women. Fish consumption associated positively with vegetable consumption, and negatively with milk, red meat (except for the Health 2000 sub-study men), and sugar, confectionary, and chocolate consumption. Among the men, fish consumption associated positively with alcohol consumption. Further, fish consumption associated positively with oil and poultry consumption among the Health 2000 sub-study participants. With regard to nutrients, fish consumption associated positively with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, vitamin D, vitamin B12, sodium, and selenium intake, and negatively associated with sugar intake. In all the other groups except for the fishermen, fish consumption associated positively also with vitamin A, E, and K, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, phosphorus, and iodine intake. Conclusion: High fish consumption seemed to be associated with a generally healthy diet. Dietary pattern among fish consumers should be taken into account in the future studies on the health effects of fish and fish-derived environmental contaminants.