Nothing fishy about Balearic diet says report

Despite being an island region, with an active fishing fleet and a dairy industry, people in the Balearics have the lowest consumption of eggs, fish and milk in Spain, according to the annual report Alimentación en España on food consumption in Spain. Fish consumption is 11.3 kilos per person. The next lowest is 15.5 kilos in the Canary Islands, compared to 29.2 kilos in Galicia, and 27 kilos in Asturias, the biggest fish eaters. The report, compiled by Mercasa, said that people in the Balearics munch their way through an average of 108 eggs, 43.4 kilos of meat, 45.9 kilos of bread, 82.4 litres of milk and 79.2 kilos of fruit per person per year. Meat consumption is low compared to the average of 71 kilos per person in Castille and Leon, but higher than the 26.1 kilos consumed by the Basques. The report says that last year, total expenditure on food and drink in Spanish homes was 6.33 billion pesetas, 2.4 percent more than 1998. This works out at an average of 158'744 pesetas per person. The Basques consume most eggs, with an average of 223 per head, followed by Asturians with 217. The people who eat most bread are those of Extremadura, with 58.6 kilos a year, and the Catalans eat least, with 42.2 kilos. Extremadura also tops the list for milk consumption with an average of 117 litres, followed by Galicians with 116 litres, and Asturians (114), with bottom places going to the people of the Balearics (82 litres), followed by Catalans and Valencians (88 litres in both cases).