Application of exploratory factor analysis to assess fish consumption in a university community

The objective of this research was to use the technique of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for the adequacy of a tool for the assessment of fish consumption and the characteristics involved in this process. Data were collected during a campaign to encourage fish consumption in Brazil with the voluntarily participation of members of a university community. An assessment instrument consisting of multiple-choice questions and a five-point Likert scale was designed and used to measure the importance of certain attributes that influence the choice and consumption of fish. This study sample was composed of of 224 individuals, the majority were women (65.6%). With regard to the frequency of fish consumption, 37.67% of the volunteers interviewed said they consume the product two or three times a month, and 29.6% once a week. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to group the variables; the extraction was made using the principal components and the rotation using the Quartimax method. The results show clusters in two main constructs, quality and consumption with Cronbach Alpha coefficients of 0.75 and 0.69, respectively, indicating good internal consistency.

Designing and validating the methodology for the Internet assessment of fish consumption at a university setting

Assessing fish consumption is complex and involves several factors; however, the use of questionnaires in surveys and the use of the Internet as tool to collect data have been considered promising approaches. Therefore, the objective of this research was to design a data collection technique using a questionnaire to assess fish consumption by making it available on a specific home page on the Internet. A bibliographical survey or review was carried out to identify the features of the instrument, and therefore pre-tests were conducted with previous instruments, followed by the Focus Group technique. Specialists then performed an analysis and conducted an online pre-test. Multivariate data analysis was applied using the SmartPLS software. The results indicate that 1.966 participants belonging to the University of São Paulo (USP) community participated in the test, and after the exclusion of some variables, a statistically significant results were obtained. The final constructs comprised consumption, quality, and general characteristics. The instrument consisted of behavioral statements in a 5-point Likert scale and multiple-choice questions. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.66 for general characteristics, 0.98 for quality, and 0.91 for consumption, which indicate good reliability of the instrument. In conclusion, the results proved that the Internet assessment is efficient. The instrument of analysis allowed us to better understand the process of buying and consuming fish in the country, and it can be used as base for further research.

Fish consumption preferences and factors influencing it

Fish consumption preferences are affected by individuals’ socioeconomic characteristics. The aims of the present paper were (i) to obtain information on fish consumption level and frequency; (ii) to investigate the associations between the socioeconomic characteristics of consumers and their preferences; and (iii) to examine the influence of determinants on fish consumption. Data were gathered through a questionnaire completed by a total of 127 randomly selected individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds from the Antakya, Turkey. The average consumption was found to be 2.98 kg/person/year for fish. Anchovies, gilt-head sea bream, and sea bass were reported as the most consumed three species, respectively. Significant differences in fish consumption were found among age groups, gender groups, and education groups, as well as between marital statuses. A majority of the consumers eat fish once a month throughout the year or only during the winter months. Fish consumption level and frequency were significantly positively correlated with education (p<0.01), income (p<0.05) and total meat consumption (p<0.01). The stepwise multiple regression model explained 41.7% (p<0.01) of the total variance for fish consumption. The amount and frequency of the consumption in the region, which is very far below the world and Turkey average especially for lower socioeconomic groups and for less-consumed fish species, can be increased by certain policies, such as training, advertising and different marketing strategies. Moreover, consumption should be distributed equally throughout the year instead of consuming only in certain seasons.

Fish Consumption and Prenatal Mercury Exposure

Methyl mercury levels in fish tissues have recently become a health issue. Does this toxin adversely affect humans to the point that fish consumption should be severely limited? Health effects of high levels of mercury exposure to human adults are fairly well known, however the effects of lower levels of exposure on human fetal development are less understood. Recent guidelines issued by the United States Food and Drug Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency recommended that pregnant women should refrain from consuming some types of fish, and limit consumption to certain levels, but results of health studies used to develop recommendations were inconclusive when low levels of in-utero methyl mercury exposure were compared. Other studies demonstrated health benefits of fish consumption to developing fetuses. These health benefits may be an over-riding factor, and my interpretation of various studies concludes that restricted consumption of some fish species may be premature at this time due to a need to balance potential health benefits against mercury toxicity hazard.

Not Simply A Matter Of Fish Intake.

Background and aims: Recent findings have highlighted enhanced fish consumption as a potential measure to increase intake of healthy fatty acids, particularly omega-3. The generalizability of this recommendation, however, may fall short by differences in fish species and cooking techniques. Hence, we investigated how these 2 variables affect the lipid content in fish flesh. Methods and Results: Nine species of freshwater, deep sea or shore fish were grilled, steamed or fried with or without the addition of soybean oil, olive oil or butter. The lipid composition was analysed and a significant difference was observed in cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids contents between species (p<0.05). The use of soybean or olive oil was associated with a significant change in flesh concentration of polyunsaturated, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study calls attention to the specific lipid content that must be expected from different fish species and cooking techniques.

Presence of oOrganophosphate Insecticides in fish of the Amazon River

Trace levels of three organophosphate insecticides (OPI) were detected in eight fish species from the region of Santarém, State of Pará, Brazil. Individual concentrations of OPI in fish ranged from less than the detection limit to 2,1 ppb. Mean concentrations of chlorpyrifos, malathion, and methyl-parathion were 0,3 ± 0,3, 0,1 ± 0,1, and 0,3 ± 0,3 ppb, respectively. Pellona flavipinnis, the largest and fattest piscivorous species analyzed, was the most contaminated. Since an inhabitant of this Amazonian region consumes 220 g of fish per day on average, ingested doses of chlorpyrifos, malathion, and methyl-parathion may reach up to 308, 220, and 462 ng·d-1, respectively. Compared to acceptable daily intakes (ADI), quantities of OPI absorbed via fish consumption on a daily basis are far below deleterious levels. We estimated that even considering the highest OPI contents detected, the average daily fish consumption of anadult of 60 kg would have to increase by ca. 1 950, 5 450, and 2 600 times to reach ADI of chlorpyrifos, malathion, and methyl-parathion, respectively. Neither fish diet nor fish lipid content enabled us to completely explain the interspecific differences observed.

Fatty Acid and Cholesterol Concentrations in Usually Consumed Fish in Brazil

Background: Several studies have demonstrated clinical benefits of fish consumption for the cardiovascular system. These effects are attributed to the increased amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids in these foods. However, the concentrations of fatty acids may vary according to region. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the amount of,cholesterol and fatty acids in 10 Brazilian fishes and in a non-native farmed salmon usually consumed in Brazil. Methods: The concentrations of cholesterol and fatty acids, especially omega-3, were determined in grilled fishes. Each fish sample was divided in 3 sub-samples (chops) and each one was extracted from the fish to minimize possible differences in muscle and fat contents. Results: The largest cholesterol amount was found in white grouper (107.6 mg/100 g of fish) and the smallest in badejo (70 mg/100 g). Omega-3 amount varied from 0.01 g/100 g in badejo to 0.900 g/100 g in weakfish. Saturated fat varied from 0.687 g/100 g in seabass to 4.530 g/100 g in filhote. The salmon had the greatest concentration of polyunsaturated fats (3.29 g/100 g) and the highest content of monounsaturated was found in pescadinha (5.98 g/100 g). Whiting and boyfriend had the best omega-6/omega 3 ratios respectively 2.22 and 1.19, however these species showed very little amounts of omega-3. Conclusion: All studied Brazilian fishes and imported salmon have low amounts of saturated fat and most of them also have low amounts of omega-3.

Does Health Information Matter for Modifying Consumption?, October 2006

A field experiment was conducted in France to evaluate the impact of health information on fish consumption. A warning given to the treatment group revealed the risks of methylmercury contamination in fish and also gave consumption recommendations. Using difference-indifferences estimation, we show that this warning led to a significant but relatively weak decrease in fish consumption. However, consumption of the most contaminated fish did not decrease despite advice to avoid consumption of these types of fish. Accompanying questionnaires show that consumers imperfectly memorize the fish species quoted in the warning. The results point to the relatively poor efficacy of a complex health message, despite its use by health agencies around the world.

Check all that apply (CATA) as an instrument for the development of fish products

Abstract The objective of this paper is to develop a fish-based product. Through the innovative sensorial check all that apply (CATA) technique, employed in two stages of the development of the product – market research and the sensorial and hedonistic characterization of the final product – the aim was to develop a fish by-product that could respond to the needs of the consumer market. Results showed that the CATA technique is an important instrument for researching the consumer market and indicated the kind of fish by-product to be developed and its desired features. Nugget was the resulting by-product. The second application of CATA made possible the sensorial description of the by-product as being crisp, with little fish odor, light in color, well-seasoned and tasty. Therefore, the CATA technique proved to be an important research instrument in the fish consumption market as well as a quick technique for the complete description of fish nuggets.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of urine and faeces as novel nutritional biomarkers of meat and fish intake

Purpose Meat and fish consumption are associated with changes in the risk of chronic diseases. Intake is mainly assessed using self-reporting, as no true quantitative nutritional biomarker is available. The measurement of plasma fatty acids, often used as an alternative, is expensive and time-consuming. As meat and fish differ in their stable isotope ratios, δ13C and δ15N have been proposed as biomarkers. However, they have never been investigated in controlled human dietary intervention studies. Objective In a short-term feeding study, we investigated the suitability of δ13C and δ15N in blood, urine and faeces as biomarkers of meat and fish intake. Methods The dietary intervention study (n = 14) followed a randomised cross-over design with three eight-day dietary periods (meat, fish and half-meat–half-fish). In addition, 4 participants completed a vegetarian control period. At the end of each period, 24-h urine, fasting venous blood and faeces were collected and their δ13C and δ15N analysed. Results There was a significant difference between diets in isotope ratios in faeces and urine samples, but not in blood samples (Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.0001). In pairwise comparisons, δ13C and δ15N were significantly higher in urine and faecal samples following a fish diet when compared with all other diets, and significantly lower following a vegetarian diet. There was no significant difference in isotope ratio between meat and half-meat–half-fish diets for blood, urine or faecal samples. Conclusions The results of this study show that urinary and faecal δ13C and δ15N are suitable candidate biomarkers for short-term meat and fish intake.

Salmon consumption during pregnancy alters fatty acid composition and secretory IgA concentration in human breast milk

Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy alters breast milk composition, but there is little information about the impact of oily fish consumption. We determined whether increased salmon consumption during pregnancy alters breast milk fatty acid composition and immune factors. Women (n = 123) who rarely ate oily fish were randomly assigned to consume their habitual diet or to consume 2 portions of farmed salmon per week from 20 wk of pregnancy until delivery. The salmon provided 3.45 g long-chain (LC) (n-3) PUFA/wk. Breast milk fatty acid composition and immune factors [soluble CD14, transforming growth factor-b (TGFb)1, TGFb2, and secretory IgA] were analyzed at 1, 5, 14, and 28 d postpartum (PP). Breast milk from the salmon group had higher proportions of EPA (80%), docosapentaenoic acid (30%), and DHA (90%) on d 5 PP compared with controls (P < 0.01). The LC (n-6) PUFA:LC (n-3) PUFA ratio was lower for the salmon group on all days of PP sampling (P < 0.004), although individual (n-6) PUFA proportions, including arachidonic acid, did not differ. All breast milk immune factors decreased between d 1 and 28 PP (P < 0.001). Breast milk secretory IgA (sIgA) was lower in the salmon group (d 1–28 PP; P = 0.006). Salmon consumption during pregnancy, at the current recommended intakes, increases the LC (n-3) PUFA concentration of breast milk in early lactation, thus improving the supply of these important fatty acids to the breast-fed neonate. The consequence of the lower breast milk concentration of sIgA in the salmon group is not clear.

The effect of salmon consumption during pregnancy on maternal and infant faecal microbiota, sIgA and calprotectin

The infant gut microbiota plays an important role in the development of the infant immune and gastrointestinal systems. We investigated whether increased salmon consumption during pregnancy, maternal weight gain during pregnancy or infant mode of feeding alter markers of gut immune defence and inflammation. Women (n = 123) who rarely ate oily fish were randomly assigned to remain on their habitual diet or to consume two 150 g portions of farmed salmon per week from 20 weeks pregnancy until delivery. At 38 weeks gestation the women (n = 75) provided a faecal sample and on days 7, 14, 28 and 84 post-partum, faecal samples were collected from the infants (n = 38). Fluorescence in situ hybridisation was used to determine the composition of the faecal microbiota and ELISA to measure faecal sIgA and calprotectin concentrations. There was no effect of salmon consumption on the faecal microbiota of the mothers or on faecal sIgA and calprotectin concentrations in either mothers or infants. Degree of weight gain influenced the maternal faecal microbiota and mode of infant feeding influenced the infant faecal microbiota. Faecal samples from infants in the salmon group tended to have lower counts of Atopobium cluster compared with those in the control group (P = 0.097). This difference was significant in formula-fed infants (P < 0.05), but not exclusively breast-fed infants. In conclusion, the impact of oily fish consumption during pregnancy on maternal and infant gut microbiota composition is limited, but significant differences were associated with maternal weight gain during pregnancy and infant mode of feeding.

Consumer purchasing behaviour towards fish and seafood products: patterns and insights from a sample of international studies

The present systematic review was performed to assess consumer purchasing behaviour towards fish and seafood products in the wide context of developed countries. Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar engines were used to search the existing literature and a total of 49 studies were identified for inclusion. These studies investigated consumer purchasing behaviour towards a variety of fish and seafood products, in different countries and by means of different methodological approaches. In particular, the review identifies and discusses the main drivers and barriers of fish consumption as well as consumers’ preferences about the most relevant attributes of fish and seafood products providing useful insights for both practitioners and policy makers. Finally, main gaps of the existing literature and possible trajectories for future research are also discussed.

The influence of sardine consumption on the omega-3 fatty acid content of mature human milk

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate what effect the ingestion of sardines, rich in omega-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids, has on the composition of breastmilk. Methods: This was a prospective study of 31 nursing mothers under observation at the Hospital Guilherme Álvaro. Each was given 2 kg of fresh sardines twice with a 15-day interval. Milk was sampled and a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire was applied on days 0, 15 and 30. Milk was assayed for fatty acid content by gas chromatography. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using nonparametric tests with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The results demonstrate that the nutritional intake of the nursing mothers was adequate at all three sample points. With regard to the omega-3 series fatty acid content of the breastmilk, it was observed that regular consumption and shorter intervals between ingestion and milk collection resulted in higher concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid at 15 and 30 days into the study. Fatty acids from the omega-3 and omega-6 series exhibited a significant correlation, r 2 was 0.58 and 0.59 at 15 and 30 days, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that incorporating fish into the diets of nursing mother during lactation, in the form of 100 g of sardines two or three times a week, contributes to an increase in omega-3 series fatty acids. Copyright © 2006 by Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria.