Food beyond land: seafood contribution to human nutrition in Brazil

Seafood is vital for tropical coastal communities, but demand and supply in Brazil remain poorly documented despite its extensive coastline and marine resources. We analyzed food consumption from over 40,000 interviews and nutritional content for six nutrients (Ca, Fe, Se, Vitamin-A, Omega-3, and Zn), comparing seafood with land-based protein sources. Our simulations show that increasing seafood consumption by 50% could meet FAO's nutritional recommendations, while a 50% increase could align all nutrient intakes. The average per capita seafood consumption is 5.3 kg/year, with lower-income populations in the North and wealthier groups in the South consuming more. Fish and shellfish are richer in most nutrients, except Zn. However, seafood production often falls short of consumption, highlighting a supply-demand mismatch. Sustainable fisheries management and expanded monitoring are essential to improving Brazil's nutrition and food security.