A study combining data on more than 86,000 people in the US and Europe found only weak connections between genetics and levels of consumption of seafood and omega-3 fatty acids. Instead, environmental and personal factors, such as availability of fish and individual food preferences, may play a bigger role in how much fish people consume.
Consumption of the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood is associated with lower risk for heart disease and other chronic health conditions, yet consumption varies considerably in Western diets. About two-thirds of people consume either small amounts of fish or no fish at all.
The study, published in PLoS One, pooled findings from 17 studies that examined genetic variations that might influence seafood consumption. The links turned out to be modest, although one genetic variation was associated with eating about a serving of fish less per month.