Abstracto

Fish Role in Food-Based Strategies For Vitamin A and Nutrient Deficiency in Developing Countries.

Frank Caron

Many underprivileged individuals who are deficient in vitamins and minerals depend on fish for their meals and livelihood. This article discusses the consumption of fish in rural Bangladesh and Cambodia, as well as the vitamin A, calcium, iron, and zinc content and nutrient bioavailability of popular species. These species' contributions to nutritional intakes and their capacity to satisfy dietary guidelines are given and discussed. Fish intake by species was determined through analysis of data from consumption surveys. Studies on nutritional bioavailability and analyses of the nutrient contents of commonly consumed species were carried out. The average daily intake of raw, whole fish in Bangladeshi families was 13–83 g. Small fish were consumed often and comprised up 50–80% of all fish consumed in rural Bangladesh and Cambodia throughout the fish producing season. Since many little fish are consumed whole, they are a good source of calcium; some are also high in iron, zinc, and vitamin A. A traditional daily dinner with the iron-rich fish trey changwa plieng can meet 45% of the daily median iron need of Cambodian women. Even minor production of the vitamin A-rich fish mola in ponds in Bangladesh can meet the annual vitamin A prescription for 2 million children. The use of fish in food-based strategies to treat nutrient deficiencies in malnourished communities in Asia and Africa could be impacted by data on fish consumption at the species level, nutrient analyses, awareness of the nutritional value of fish, as well as promotion of the production and accessibility of nutrient-dense species.