Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review
Effective actions for the fishery and aquaculture sectors to contribute toward improving nutrition rely on an understanding of the factors influencing fish intake, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. This scoping review synthesises evidence from 33 studies in the African Great Lakes Region...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/7/2408 |
| _version_ | 1797526423864344576 |
|---|---|
| author | Julia de Bruyn Joshua Wesana Stuart W. Bunting Shakuntala H. Thilsted Philippa J. Cohen |
| author_facet | Julia de Bruyn Joshua Wesana Stuart W. Bunting Shakuntala H. Thilsted Philippa J. Cohen |
| author_sort | Julia de Bruyn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Effective actions for the fishery and aquaculture sectors to contribute toward improving nutrition rely on an understanding of the factors influencing fish intake, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. This scoping review synthesises evidence from 33 studies in the African Great Lakes Region to examine the influence of food environments on fish acquisition and consumption. We identified only two studies that explicitly applied a food environment framework and none that linked policy conditions with the contribution of fish to diets. Economic access to fish was represented in the largest number of included studies (21 studies), followed by preferences, acceptability and desirability of fish (17 studies) and availability and physical access (14 studies). Positive perceptions of taste and low cost, relative to other animal-source foods, were drivers of fish purchases in many settings; however, limited physical and economic access were frequently identified as preventing optimal intake. In lakeside communities, fish were increasingly directed toward external markets which reduced the availability and affordability of fish for local households. Few studies considered intra-household variations in fish access according to age, gender or physiological status, which represents an important knowledge gap. There is also scope for future research on seasonal influences on fish access and the design and rigorous evaluation of programmes and policies that address one or more constraints of availability, cost, convenience and preferences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:30:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f482e4e8d71a4726862a21ef60c58568 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:30:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-f482e4e8d71a4726862a21ef60c585682023-11-22T04:37:01ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-07-01137240810.3390/nu13072408Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping ReviewJulia de Bruyn0Joshua Wesana1Stuart W. Bunting2Shakuntala H. Thilsted3Philippa J. Cohen4Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME44TB, UKNatural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME44TB, UKNatural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME44TB, UKWorldFish, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas 11960, Penang, MalaysiaWorldFish, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas 11960, Penang, MalaysiaEffective actions for the fishery and aquaculture sectors to contribute toward improving nutrition rely on an understanding of the factors influencing fish intake, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. This scoping review synthesises evidence from 33 studies in the African Great Lakes Region to examine the influence of food environments on fish acquisition and consumption. We identified only two studies that explicitly applied a food environment framework and none that linked policy conditions with the contribution of fish to diets. Economic access to fish was represented in the largest number of included studies (21 studies), followed by preferences, acceptability and desirability of fish (17 studies) and availability and physical access (14 studies). Positive perceptions of taste and low cost, relative to other animal-source foods, were drivers of fish purchases in many settings; however, limited physical and economic access were frequently identified as preventing optimal intake. In lakeside communities, fish were increasingly directed toward external markets which reduced the availability and affordability of fish for local households. Few studies considered intra-household variations in fish access according to age, gender or physiological status, which represents an important knowledge gap. There is also scope for future research on seasonal influences on fish access and the design and rigorous evaluation of programmes and policies that address one or more constraints of availability, cost, convenience and preferences.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/7/2408fishdietnutritionfood systemfood environmentAfrican Great Lakes Region |
| spellingShingle | Julia de Bruyn Joshua Wesana Stuart W. Bunting Shakuntala H. Thilsted Philippa J. Cohen Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review Nutrients fish diet nutrition food system food environment African Great Lakes Region |
| title | Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review |
| title_full | Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review |
| title_short | Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | fish acquisition and consumption in the african great lakes region through a food environment lens a scoping review |
| topic | fish diet nutrition food system food environment African Great Lakes Region |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/7/2408 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juliadebruyn fishacquisitionandconsumptionintheafricangreatlakesregionthroughafoodenvironmentlensascopingreview AT joshuawesana fishacquisitionandconsumptionintheafricangreatlakesregionthroughafoodenvironmentlensascopingreview AT stuartwbunting fishacquisitionandconsumptionintheafricangreatlakesregionthroughafoodenvironmentlensascopingreview AT shakuntalahthilsted fishacquisitionandconsumptionintheafricangreatlakesregionthroughafoodenvironmentlensascopingreview AT philippajcohen fishacquisitionandconsumptionintheafricangreatlakesregionthroughafoodenvironmentlensascopingreview |