Fish Intake in the United States

Abstract

This chapter describes seafood (finfish + shellfish; used interchangeably with “fish”) intake in the United States. The United States is the 2nd largest importer of seafood in the world and ranks 3rd in consumption after China and Japan, respectively. However, fish intake is still inadequate to meet US federal guidance, and intake differs across regions and by sociodemographic characteristics. This chapter discusses intake at several levels of the food supply; imports, production, retail, individual intake, recreational, and subsistence. Barriers to fish consumption are also reviewed. To bring the US population closer to meeting dietary recommendations, public health efforts should focus on encouraging people who do not consume fish to do so, and ensuring that people who do eat fish eat recommended amounts. Adequate production and delivery infrastructure must be in place to ensure the availability of fresh, affordable seafood to support increased demand if recommendations are to be met.