The American diet, which tends to be less rich in fish consumption compared with Japan, China and almost any other country where fish is the major source of dietary protein, also tends to be low in omega fatty acids, says Sam Wright IV, chief executive officer of Crowley, La.-based The Wright Group.
In fact, average eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) long-chain omega-3 fatty acid consumption in the United States is less than 185 mg a day, while health experts in various countries recommend 250-500 mg a day, says Lorin Debonte, assistant vice president of specialty seed and oil development at Minneapolis-based Cargill, citing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.