July 15, 2020 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:
The National Fisheries Institute commends the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for its work in submitting its Scientific Report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.
The Committee’s review of the science supports advice to eat 8-12 ounces of seafood weekly, particularly before, during and after pregnancy. The report highlights that only 20 percent of adults and 6 percent of children meet the goal of eating seafood twice per week.
The report notes a healthy diet should “provide good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as seafood, beginning at ages 6 to 12 months.”
The report is one more piece of evidence that Americans of all ages should eat seafood more frequently. As part of a healthy dietary pattern, seafood offers a lifetime of benefits from brain development among babies to heart health and a healthy weight for adults. The report even notes the link between diet-related diseases –which regular seafood consumption can help prevent – and increased susceptibility to the current global pandemic.
It will be vital that the final Guidelines use simple, consistent language to communicate actionable recommendations that result in increased seafood consumption, in order to realize the associated public health benefits.
Accredited nutrition experts like the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee continue to distinguish seafood as a food with benefits for all ages.