A reference point for public health policy makers with reliable, independent and up-to date information on topics related to promotion of health and well-being.
Due care was taken to ensure factually correct information. Food groupings and food group names differ across individual FBDGs; the ones used here are a compromise to present the information in a structured way. Differences such as those in number of portions and portion sizes were kept unaltered. The original country FBDGs and the responsible national public health authorities remain the only qualified points of reference.
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | -Fish and seafood once or twice a week, including oily fish once a week | -Eat oily fish once a week but in moderate consumption, not only for the sake of environmental protection, but also because they are liable to contain contaminants (heavy metals, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], etc.), and because of the sensitivity of omega-3 fatty acids to oxidation | - |
| Bulgaria | -Consume fish at least once or twice a week | - Replace meat and meat products with fish, poultry or legumes. - Limit the consumption of salted fish | 1 portion corresponds to 150-200 g |
| Czechia | -Eat fish and fish products at least twice a week | -Prefer fatty fish | - |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Denmark | -Eat 350 g of fish per week, of which 200 g is oily fish | -It is important to eat different types of fish | - |
| Note: Oily fish include for example herring, mackerel, salmon and trout | |||
| Germany | - Fish once or twice a week. - Eat weekly 1 portion (80-150 g) low-fat seafish (prepared) AND 1 serving (70 g) of fatty fish (prepared) | -Choose from recognised sustainable sources | 80-150 g low-fat seafish (prepared) and 70 g of fatty fish (prepared) |
| Note: Included in the "animal products" group | |||
| Estonia | -3-4 portions. Fish, poultry, eggs, meat, and products made from them (1-2 fish & fish products). Fish at least 3x/week. | - Prefer low- or medium-fat fish (to limit polychlorinated biphenyl intake). - Processed fish products: choose with less salt. | Fish (cooked): 75 g lean fish, 60 g of medium fat fish, 35 g fatty fish, 30 g of very fatty fish. Fish products: 80 g surimi, 50 g smoked and salted fish, 40 g of canned fish in water, tomato, or natural juice; fish stick, 30 g canned fish in oil; salty herring. 1 port≈80 kcal. |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Ireland | -Choose fish up to twice a week - oily fish is best | -Eat more fish; opt also for oily fish, e.g. mackerel, sardines, and salmon | 100 g cooked fish |
| Note: Oily fish provides essential omega-3 fats | |||
| Greece | 2-3 servings per week | -Avoid salted and smoked fish | 150 g cooked fish |
| Spain | -At least 3 servings weekly | - Prioritise blue fish (blue: sardines, anchovies, mackerel, scad etc.; white: haddock, blue whiting, cod etc.; shellfish: mussels, etc.). - Frozen and canned fish have similar nutritional value to fresh. - If you eat canned fish, choose low-salt varieties. | One serving= 125-150 g Example: 1 individual fillet, or several units of seafood |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| France | -Fish and seafood 2 times per week, of which one time should be fatty fish | -Vary species and locations (especially for large consumers), to limit exposure to contaminants | 100g |
| Croatia | - | -Prefer fish and lean meat | - |
| Note: Included in “protein group” together with meat, eggs and legumes | |||
| Italy | -At least 2-3 times fresh fish a week and up to 1 time per week preserved fish | - Prefer either fresh or frozen and prefer local blue fish. - Choose small fish that you can eat with the fishbone. | 150 g fresh (one small fish, one medium fillet, 3 large shrimps, 20 small shrimps, 25 mussels); 50 g canned or preserved (1 small can of tune or mackerel, 4-5 slices of smoked salmon, 0.5 cod fillet) |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Cyprus | - 2-3 servings/day meat or equivalent (including fish). - 1-2 portions fatty fish per week. | -Eat more fish, particularly fatty fish (sea bream, red seabream, salmon, swordfish, sea bass, trout) | 30g |
| Note: Fish is included in one group together with meat, cheese, legumes, eggs, peanut butter, and tofu | |||
| Latvia | - 2 to 3 servings per day of legumes, fish or lean meat, as well as eggs, nuts and seeds. - Eat fish at least twice a week. | -Once a week choose a fatty fish containing long polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, herring, mackerel, sardines, etc | 100-140 g of fish fillets |
| Lithuania | -At least 300-450 g of fish or fish products per week. From them at least 200g should be fatty fish (e.g. salmon, trout, mackerel or herring). | -Limit or moderate consumption of predatory fish (perch, pike, tuna, swordfish) that may contain mercury | - |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Luxembourg | -1-2 portions per day of meat, poultry, fish, eggs and other vegetarian alternatives such as pulses. | - Alternate between meat, poultry, fish, eggs and vegetarian alternatives. Fish should be eaten at least twice a week. You can choose between fresh, frozen or tinned fish (but beware of the salt and oil content) | 1 portion of meat, poultry or fish is equivalent to the size of the fist of the person consuming it. |
| Hungary | -At least once a week have sea fish or bighead carp, sterlet, trout on your plate | - | 1 slice (150 g) fish |
| Malta | - 2 or more servings per week. - A serving of oily fish per week is recommended. | -Choose from a wide variety of fresh and seasonal fish | 115 g (raw) |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Netherlands | - 1-8 yr: 0.5 serving per week - 9 yr and older: 1 serving per week | -Eat fish once a week, preferably oily fish | 100 g |
| Note: Included in protein-rich products | |||
| Austria | -1-2 portions/week | - | 1 portion corresponds to approximately 150 g |
| Note: Prefer high-fat fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna and herring or domestic coldwater fish such as char | |||
| Poland | -At least 2 times a week | -Not fried fish, but baked or boiled | - |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Portugal | - | -Increase the consumption of fish | 30 g of raw fish, 25 g of cooked fish |
| Romania | -2-3 servings of lean meat (including fish) per day | -Eat fish as often as possible | 200 g |
| Slovenia | -Eat fish at least twice a week | - Replace fatty meat and salty and fatty meat products with legumes, fish, poultry or lean meat. - Preferably, choose blue fish and oily sea fish. | - |
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| Slovakia | - | - Preference for saltwater fish (fresh, frozen, deep-frozen). - Choose a variety of proteins, which include fish, lower-fat meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products and natural seeds and unsalted mixed nuts. | - |
| Finland | -Eat fish (of different kinds) two to three times a week | -Vary and eat different kinds of fish | 100-150 g fish (cooked weight) |
| Sweden | -Eat fish and shellfish 2-3 times a week | -Vary your intake of fatty and low-fat varieties | - |
| Note: Specific recommendations for risk groups to limit fish from Baltic Sea and certain lakes | |||
Country | Quantitative recommendations | Qualitative recommendations | Portion size |
| United Kingdom | -2 portions of sustainably sourced fish per week, one of which is oily | -Choose sustainably sourced fish | 140 g |
| Note: Included in "Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins" | |||
| Switzerland | -1-2 portions per week | - | 100-120 g (fresh weight) |
| Note: Included in one group together with meat, eggs, dairy products, and tofu | |||
| Iceland | -Fish 2-3 times a week | - Desirable that one of the weekly fish portions is fatty fish, e.g. salmon, trout, herring, halibut, or mackerel. - Choose fish products with the Keyhole label if possible. | 150 g |
| Norway | - Eat fish 2-3 times a week. - 300-450 g of pure fish week. At least 200 g should be fatty fish. | - | 150 g |
| Originally Published | Last Updated | 07 Dec 2020 | 14 Jun 2024 |
| Knowledge service | Metadata | Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway | Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in Europe |
| Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET) | health policy |
