Seafood Consumption and Its Contribution to Nutrients Intake among Canadians in 2004 and 2015.

Xue Feng Hu,Hing Man Chan

doi:10.3390/nu13010077

Abstract

Fish and seafood are excellent sources of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, and selenium. The aims of this study were to examine the pattern of seafood consumption among Canadians and determine their contribution to intakes of energy and nutrients. Day-1 24-h dietary recalls data collected from a national survey, the Canadian Community Health Survey—Nutrition in 2004 and 2015, were used to estimate food and nutrient intakes among Canadians. Seafood was classified according to the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences food list. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the consumption rate and the average consumption amount of seafood by different age groups and sociodemographic characteristics. Population ratios were used to assess the contribution of seafood to the total intake of energy and nutrients. The overall consumption rate of seafood was around 17%, and the rate was similar between males and females, and slightly higher in 2015 (17.71%) compared to 2004 (16.38%). The average portion size is approximately 100 g, which translates into a ≈36 kg annual intake among the consumers and ≈6.2 kg per capita consumption. Adults (especially 30 years and above), Asians, individuals who were married, and with post-secondary education were more likely to consume seafood. Salmon, tuna, shrimp, cod, and crab were the most frequently consumed seafood in Canada, the consumption rate of which all increased from 2004 to 2015. Seafood provided up to 75% of n-3 PUFAs, 18% of Vitamin D, 19% Vitamin B12, 6% of niacin, and 4% of Vitamin B6 from all food sources. Seafood consumers had a healthier diet, as seafood consumption was related to a higher intake of key nutrients and a lower intake of total sugar and saturated fatty acids. Therefore, fish consumption should be promoted among Canadians.

Highlights

Received: 18 November 2020Accepted: 24 December 2020Published: 29 December 2020Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.license.Fish and seafood are an excellent source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Vitamin D, selenium, and other nutrients [1,2,3]
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends at least eight ounces of fish and seafood per week based on a 2000-calorie diet [7]
The objectives of the present study were to (1) examine changes in seafood consumption among Canadians over time with data collected from nationally representative nutrition surveys conducted in 2004 and 2015, (2) investigate the sociodemographic factors associated with seafood consumption, (3) examine the differences in energy and nutrients intake between consumers and non-consumers of seafood, and (4) assess the contribution of seafood to total nutrients intake among the consumers

Summary

Introduction

Fish and seafood are an excellent source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Vitamin D, selenium, and other nutrients [1,2,3]. Fish consumption and fish oil supplementation have been shown to be related to lower blood pressure, plasma triglycerides, resting heart rate, and inflammation and the improvement of myocardial filling and efficiency and vascular function [1,4]. Evidence suggests that regular fish consumption or fish oil supplementation during pregnancy may have potentially beneficial effects on the child’s cognitive development [5,6]. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends at least eight ounces of fish and seafood (less for young children) per week based on a 2000-calorie diet [7]

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