Food and nutrient intakes of French frequent seafood consumers with regard to fish consumption recommendations: Results from the CALIPSO study

Abstract

Besides providing n-3 fatty acids with nutritional and health benefits, seafood consumption may contribute to the reduction of nutrient prevalences of inadequacy. To evaluate the contributions of seafood and other food groups to nutrient intakes of frequent seafood consumers, food consumption was evaluated through an FFQ on 991 French men and women (18-81 years) consuming seafood at least twice a week. Intakes, prevalence of inadequacies, risks of upper limit excess and food contributions to intakes were assessed for thirty-three nutrients. Mean fat contributions to total energy intakes (383 and 390% for men and women, respectively) met French recommendations, but mean carbohydrate intakes (409 and 397%, respectively) were insufficient. Micronutrient inadequacies were lower than in the French general population, the highest being for vitamin C (413 and 401% for men and women, respectively), vitamin E (350 and 353% for men and women, respectively) and Mg (375 and 255% for men and women, respectively). Upper safety limits (USL) were exceeded mostly for Zn (62%), Ca (37%), retinol (20%) and Cu (09%). Mean contributions of seafood to vitamin D, B12, I and Se intakes ranged 40-65%. Molluscs and crustaceans significantly contributed to vitamin B12 (137%), Cu (114%), Fe (115%), Zn (84%) and I (61%) intakes, and canned fish contributed to vitamin D intake (134%). Besides fish, contributions of mollusc and crustacean consumption to nutrient intakes should be considered from a public health viewpoint. Consuming seafood at least twice a week induces moderate inadequacies and risks of exceeding USL for some micronutrients, whereas macronutrient intakes remained imbalanced. © 2011 The Authors.