SSA Calls on Australian Governments to Promote Seafood Consumption

Australian Governments have been urged to encourage greater consumption of seafood to avoid a looming "epidemic" of mental ill health and other brain disorders.

This follows a warning from the world’s foremost authorities in neuroscience and nutrition, meeting in London recently, that western nations will suffer "unthinkable health, social and fiscal consequences” unless they increase consumption of DHA, an Omega-3 oil found most abundantly in seafood.

Mr Ted Loveday, Managing Director of Seafood Services Australia (SSA), said Australian Governments should heed the message from the London meeting and encourage greater consumption of seafood.

"One of SSA’s tasks is to help make Australians aware of the vital contribution fish and other seafood makes to good health," Mr Loveday said. "Scientists at the London conference want a return to what they term ‘traditional fish and seafood consumption’ to improve human health.

According to the health expert, "Humans evolved with high levels of consumption of fish and other seafood, and today we still require many of the nutrients they contain," he said. "The Omega-3 oils, or ‘fish oils’, are the best known but seafood contains a package of very important nutrients, such as iodine, selenium, zinc, copper and iron, all important for good health, especially brain health."

UK Celebrates Omega-3 Day

On March 3, 2010, the United Kingdon celebrated International Omega-3 Day.

According to UK seafood organization Seafish, seafood has been recognized as the best dietary source of Omega-3 oils.  Seafish notes that the reduction in the risk of heart attack death is the most widely accepted benefit from eating more seafood. Also noted was that the consensus of knowledgeable experts believe that eating more fish may reduce risk of death from a heart attack by around 25-30%.

At a conference on Seafood & Health in January 2009, experts from all over the world presented new research confirming that the complex of vitamins, minerals and long-chain fatty acids present in seafood can improve eyesight, skin, and concentration levels as well as improving cardiovascular health.

Seafish also noted that the European Food Safety Authority has increased the adult recommended intake of Omega-3 from 200mg a day to 250mg a day – more than the current UK recommendation of 200mg/day.

Seafish is a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the four UK government fisheries departments and funded by a levy on seafood. For more information, visit www.seafish.org.