Seafish on Tuesday said UK consumers need to greatly increase their oily fish intake to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
Based on recent finding from the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) National Diet and Nutrition Survey, Seafish said both adults and children are not eating the recommended two portions of seafood per week, one of which should be oil-rich.
The FSA survey showed that oily fish consumption was especially low, at 8 grams per day for adults and 2 grams per day for children, less than one-quarter of one portion of oil-rich fish, which is far below healthy levels of consumption.
In its own survey, Seafish found that more than eight out of 10 Brits described seafood as healthy, but only about one-third managed to eat the recommended two portions a week. Less than half of the population was aware that the UK government recommends eating two servings a week.
"Oil-rich seafood is also the best natural source of long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, which are proven to help maintain heart health. It is particularly important to encourage children to eat oily fish for their brain and muscle development," said Dr. Jon Harmon, Seafish development director. "As an island nation, the range of species available offers UK consumers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy and explore the tastes and textures of seafood, with over 100 species native to the UK, plenty of which are oil-rich. These statistics highlight the need for our eating habits to adapt in order to ensure a long and healthy life."
April 13, 2010
