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Seafood benefits outweigh potential risks: study
Updated Wed. Oct. 18 2006 11:33 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The benefits of eating a few weekly helpings of most fish or seafood
outweigh the potential health risks associated with ingesting mercury
and other contaminants, finds a new study commissioned by the U.S.
government.

Not only do eating fish and shellfish help protect against heart
disease, claims the study, but women who do so during pregnancy or
while nursing can promote healthy vision and brain development in their
infants.

Nutritionists have long touted seafood as a great, low-fat source of
protein, full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But at the same time,
there have been troubling warnings of methyl mercury, dioxin and
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination associated with some fish
and shellfish.

Jose Ordovas, a Tufts University researcher and member of the report
committee, said he hopes the Institute of Medicine report takes away
some of the confusion that may have "scared" people out of eating
something that's beneficial for them and their offspring.

"It seems that previous advice has been rather fragmented," added Dr.
Susan Krebs-Smith, another member of the report committee and a
research nutritionist with the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

"What we wanted to try to do was to draw this information together, and
we've done that in a way that we think can manage both the risks and
benefits for individuals and allow them to make good food choices,"
Krebs told CTV Newsnet from Washington.

The report says fatty fish such as salmon provides some of the highest
amounts of omega-3s found in food. Nutritional surveys suggest most
people don't consume enough of these healthy fats.

Researchers say it's still unclear why eating fish help to fight heart
disease -- the number one cause of death in the U.S.  But they suggest
it could be that Omega-3 fatty acids protect the heart, or that people
who choose leaner seafood over fatty cuts of meat simply take in less
saturated fat and cholesterol.

Recent studies have also hinted that Omega-3s may also help protect
against cancer and diabetes, and slow the progression of early
Alzheimer's disease.

Expectant mothers

Evidence also shows that eating seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids can
contribute to vision and cognitive development in babies and help
expecting moms carry babies to term. But the report points to some fish
these groups should avoid.

For pregnant women and children younger than 12, the report suggests:

Eating six to 12 ounces of seafood a week. That can include up to six
ounces of albacore tuna.
Avoiding large, lean predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish
or king mackerel, which have higher mercury levels.

"We don't feel that every group needs to avoid those necessarily," said
Krebs-Smith, "but definitely those at-risk groups" should avoid eating
the fish listed above.

Mix it up

For healthy teens, adults and those at risk of heart disease, the
report said eating seafood may cut the risk of developing it. If people
eat more than two servings of seafood a week, the report recommends
eating different kinds of seafood to reduce the risk of exposure to
contaminants.

The report doesn't list "good" or "bad" fish, but outlines a few broad
categories:

Fatty fish like salmon have the highest omega-3 levels but also have
more saturated fat and cholesterol and can have higher levels of dioxin
and PCBs.
Shellfish and crustaceans are low in saturated fat but can have
moderate amounts of cholesterol and present the greatest risk of
microbial infection if eaten raw.

"We do encourage people to eat a variety of fish because that way
you're minimizing the risk from any one source by eating from a variety
of sources, and probably obtaining the range of benefits available from
different types of fish," said Krebs-Smith.

Government guidelines say for all seafood, levels of dioxin, PCBs and
other contaminants do not pose health risks when eaten in recommended
amounts.

Critics

While industry groups such as the Tuna Foundation are hailing the
report, some environmental and conservation groups say it will only
worsen confusion about which people should avoid which fish.

"This report is not balanced, and it's taken on more of an advocacy
role, rather than a balanced presentation of facts," Gerald Leape of
the National Environmental Trust told The Associated Press. "It's a
real disservice to consumers."

Seafood is known to be the main source of people's exposure to methyl
mercury, which has been linked to learning disabilities, developmental
delays in children as well as heart, nervous system and kidney damage
in adults.

Critics were also alarmed the report offers the same guidance for
pregnant women as for young children.

"They seem to be unaware that children are smaller than adults," said
Jean Halloran, director of food safety at Consumers Union, which
publishes Consumer Reports magazine. "

That advice, which they have featured prominently, could result in
young children getting excessive doses of mercury."

Meanwhile, the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) in the U.S. is calling
on these groups to abandon their "alarmist campaigns aimed at scaring
Americans away from fish," in light of the report's findings.

"Environmental activists and self-appointed public-health watchdogs
have got to stop scaring Americans away from seafood," CCF Director of
Research David Martosko said in a statement.

"Foods that help us steer clear of heart disease and promote healthy
brain development in children should be exempt from the
skull-and-crossbones treatment."

The study, titled Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks, was
sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with
additional support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is
published in JAMA (the journal of the American Medical Association).

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Ain't that a kick. REAL food is healthy.

TC