British public policy leaders call for pregnant women and everyone to eat more fish

United Kingdom Food Standards Agency (FSA) guidelines say that women who are or may become pregnant can eat between one and two portions of oily fish a week. But the January 2008 FHF report recommends a shift to encourage eating more fish. Old guidelines should be reconsidered with, “a view to encouraging [women of childbearing age] to eat at least two portions of oily fish, or the equivalent in omega-3 [polyunsaturated fats], a week.”

FHF went on to say: “we recommend that all people in the UK should be encouraged to eat more fish.”

NFI President John Connelly said, “NFI shares FHF’s sentiments regarding current advisories that limit consumption of fish. The latest science shows that the impact from mercury in fish is extremely rare, while long chain omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies are all too common. Long chain omega-3s from fish benefit brain development in fetuses and young children and reduce the risk of heart disease as we age.”

The FHF recommendation comes just months after the International Association of Seafood Inspectors (IAFI) challenged public health authorities to reevaluate current thinking on mercury warnings. The IAFI board said, “caution by some prominent health authorities includes advisories that deter consumption of fish by certain types or locations in order to maintain large margins of safety because actual risk has not been measured.”

NFI strongly urges a review of advice that will protect the health of all who eat seafood without being overly cautionary and creating an environment of fear. The benefits of seafood far outweigh the impact of trace amounts of mercury. While pregnant mothers should avoid shark, tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel, which are rarely available and consumed, the emerging science makes clear that they put themselves and their children at risk when limiting overall fish consumption during pregnancy and beyond.