Walker M F, Aldridge D C, Willer D F
Ms Megan Walker, University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Cambridge, England.
Professor David Aldridge, University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Cambridge, England.
NPJ Sci Food. 2025 Sep 19;9(1):192. doi: 10.1038/s41538-025-00569-7.
The first 1000 days of life - from conception through to a child's second birthday - are a critical phase in which dietary deficiencies can have long-term detrimental consequences on health. Fish and seafood consumption can play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality nutrition, with the potential to provide essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and vitamin D. These nutrients are crucial for supporting early development and can be challenging to obtain in optimal amounts. However, in the UK, fish and seafood consumption is well below recommended guidelines. Hence, this study aimed to identify the key drivers of and barriers to consumption. Data were collected using an online survey distributed through email, Facebook, LinkedIn, and UK nursery chains, targeting women, parents, and guardians supporting the first 1000 days of life in the UK. Responses were filtered for relevancy, with non-eligible participants excluded. 175 participants were included in the cohort for analysis. The analysis sought to investigate the attitudes, understanding, and motivations of participants towards fish and seafood. We reveal that mothers would like themselves and their children to eat more fish and seafood, primarily for health reasons, but that health concerns and unclear guidelines are acting as the leading hurdle to change. We suggest that there is a need for clearer guidelines and more effective information dissemination for those supporting the first 1000 days of life.
生命的最初1000天——从受孕到孩子两岁生日——是一个关键阶段，在此期间饮食不足会对健康产生长期的有害影响。食用鱼类和海鲜在提供高质量营养方面可以发挥关键作用，有可能提供诸如omega-3脂肪酸、碘和维生素D等必需营养素。这些营养素对于支持早期发育至关重要，而且要获取最佳量颇具挑战。然而，在英国，鱼类和海鲜的消费量远低于推荐标准。因此，本研究旨在确定消费的关键驱动因素和障碍。数据通过在线调查收集，该调查通过电子邮件、脸书、领英和英国托儿所连锁店分发，目标人群是支持英国生命最初1000天的女性、父母和监护人。对回复进行相关性筛选，排除不合格的参与者。175名参与者被纳入队列进行分析。该分析旨在调查参与者对鱼类和海鲜的态度、理解和动机。我们发现，母亲们希望自己和孩子多吃鱼类和海鲜，主要是出于健康原因，但对健康的担忧和不明确的指导方针是改变的主要障碍。我们建议，对于那些支持生命最初1000天的人，需要更明确的指导方针和更有效的信息传播。
