Debate Over Seafood and Pregnancy Rages On
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 10. 4.07
According to the Washington Post, a coalition of top scientists from private groups and federal agencies plans to declare today that pregnant and breast-feeding women should eat at least 12 ounces of fish and seafood per week to ensure their babies' optimal brain development.
And that, of course, is a major break with current U.S. health advice that the women in question should eat no more than 12 ounces per week due to concerns about mercury contamination.
The debate over fish and pregnant mothers has deepened over the last several years, and at its core is the tension between the brain-bolstering nutrients in seafood and concern over exposure to mercury, which builds up in the tissue of many marine species and is toxic to nerve tissue.
While some may disagree with their suggestion on seafood intake, the group set to issue today’s advisory is the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. A respected nonprofit group with nearly 150 members, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes, as well as federal agencies including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And that may present a difficult dilemma to moms and moms-to-be alike, as the FDA intends to examine their material though they’ve indicated that they have no intention of changing the advice on seafood and pregnancy they put out in 2001 and 2004.
I guess the debate rages on…
There are plenty of fish that have a low-risk of mercury accumulation, generally those that are lower on the food chain. Both the NRDC and the Monterey Bay Aquarium provide pocket-guides as to mercury risks in fish (and also as to which fish are endangered).
This debates seems to stem around eating mercury, not fish. Perhaps one or all of these organizations could put some effort into educating people as to which fish to avoid, and also what causes the mercury to enter the food chain. (maybe they already do, I don't know)
Some people resist environmental responsibility because they do not want their lives "controlled" but this is a good example of how a lack of responsibility is controlling their choices. Clean up or eat shit.
I thought that this was an ad for ham at first. I am feeling pretty cynical today so forgive the sarcasm, but didn't many people living far away from oceans survive without fish? Given the collapse in fisheries on both the East and arguably the West coast of Canada, I am not sure if this is a time when we should encourage eating fish.
Those who think that pregnant women should eat 12 ounces of fish per week should be even more careful in promoting consumption of fish. If overall consumption rises because the claims are correct, there will not be enough fish for pregnant women or their children.
Fish get their omega-3's from algae, and there are algal supplements available (www.martek.com). Why not go straight to the source. Our bodies absorb this DHA as well as tit absorbs he DHA from seafood. It's also about choosing the right fish. See http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=healthalerts for a list
Why isn't there a focus on other food sources for Omega-3s that don't carry a risk of mercury contamination, like walnuts, soybeans and squash?
This group, though respectable, makes it seem as though it's an either or - eat fish or your kids will be stupid. I can't accept that. Many cultures throughout human history thrived without access to seafood. They must have gotten necessary fatty acids from other food sources. Why can't we now?
Unfortunately what the article fails to mention is that while it's important to have a source of DHA in your diet, there are vegan DHA supplements available for those who want to avoid eating fish (or fish oil). These supplements get their DHA from algae - the same place fish get it.
As if there's not already an overfishing problem in the world. People need to lay off the seafood, especially sushi, and let the ocean replenish itself. Not to mention all the excess loss( ie. dolphins, turtles, birds) of the fishing industry.
As far as cultures living away from seafood, until last century, you had to live near a natural water source in order to survive. Therefore, people have always lived near fish.
There was a story on NPR last night about the announcement from this coalition. There is no debate, the no more then 12 ounces is the safe recommendation given after a thorough study. Groups inside the healthy mothers coalition were taken by surprise by this announcement, and it turns out the group took a big donation from the fish lobby. This story is not about the debate, but about how lobbies can influence these so-called independent groups.
See link:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/news/2007/10/theres_something_fishy_about_m.html
Just thought everyone should know that this study was funded by NFI. The national fisheries institute. A trade organization for the fishing industry. They spent $60,000 to get it out.
From intrafish online:
NFI spending $60,000 to promote pregnant women seafood recommendations
The trade association representing the seafood industry will spend $60,000 (€42,665) to promote the recommendations from the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition pregnant women eat at least 12 ounces of seafood a week.
jrabasa's right -- this study was industry funded, and most of the respectable groups in the HMHB coalition want nothing to do with it. The seafood industry wanted to create confusion to help boost sales, and media totally fell for it. Time for a follow-up post, Mr. Luna?
NO, DO NOT EAT FISH AT ALL! Most commercial fish species are now either threatened or on the verge of being wiped out. There are products out there like Udos DHA Blend http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/Canada/Products/7997.htm
which do not contain fish oil. I cannot understand why you would take a perfectly good fish and destroy it to extract the oil. Furthermore they have to damage the oil in order to remove the contaminants. Another mind blowing activity is; feeding wild caught fish to farmed fish. It takes 4-5 kg of wild fish to produce one kg of farmed fish. Where is the logic? I agree with someone else's comment, if you don't care about the environment then you must eat shit. We do not have time to mess around. Stop eating threatened fish species now and reduce your consumption of animal products so that there will something left for our children to eat. While on the subject of children we need to stop breeding as well!
It appears no one wants to take responsibility of wrongs even if it is found clearly upon their shoulders. The choices we make we have to bear the consequences that come with them.
God has give specific biblical instructions on what food is healthful for us.
Deut 14:9-11
9 "These you may eat of all that are in water: anything that has fins and scales you may eat,
10 but anything that does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.
NASU
Not all aquatic organisms have a potential risk due to mercury. Believe you me; Man has to bear the consequences of bad choices made.
From NPR: During the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies news conference, the moderator, Elizabeth Jordan, was asked how the organization is funded. She acknowledged that the group has received funding from the National Fisheries Institute — an industry group that promotes seafood.
"We actually received a $60,000 educational grant," Jordan said. "That money is put forth to create a microsite for the information presented here today."
From me: So, it's difficult to take this report at face value. Also, as has been mentioned above, the fishing industry is quickly depleting all fish species through overfishing. Many scientists predict fish will be off the menu entirely within the next 50 years, because fish will be gone.
Don't eat fish. In fact, the greenest dietary option is a plant based diet. Worried about Omega 3s? Eat some Flax seed and/or walnuts and you'll find a healthy, sustainable source without the added mercury.
As many people have commented, the issue is not about consuming enough fish. It is about concuming enough of the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA and consuming NO mercury. ANY amount of mercury damages the nervous system. It is infuriating that the desire to turn a profit motivates people to disseminate misinformation that harms our children and thus our future.
I had a baby 9 months ago, and I ate NO FISH whatsoever because they ALL conatin mercury. (A good book to read on the subject of toxins and pregnancy is "Having Faith" by Sandra Steingraber.) Instead, I found a toxin-free source of fish oil (www.lgibbons.qhealthzone.com--look for the Heart Health product). I may be biased, but my daughter has been amazingly advanced, uncommonly alert, very strong, and obviously quite bright compared to any other child I've ever seen under the age of 18 months, and I believe my organic, nearly toxin-free diet played a large role in that.