| | Fish Consumption: Benefits and Risks for Women in |
| | 1,48 | | MB | Childbearing Years and Young Children |
| | 137 | | stron |
| | 5386 | | ID | Environmental Protection Office, Toronto Public Health |
| | 2006 | | rok |
| | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY V |
| | CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .1 |
| | 1.1 Background 1 |
| | 1.2 Purpose.2 |
| | 1.3 Methods3 |
| | 1.4 Scope 3 |
| | 1.5 Summary 4 |
| | CHAPTER 2 BENEFITS OF FISH CONSUMPTION .5 |
| | 2.1 Fish as a source of omega-3 fatty acids5 |
| | 2.2 Dietary requirement for omega-3 fatty acids .7 |
| | 2.3 Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids .8 |
| | 2.3.1 DHA and Benefits to Pregnancy.9 |
| | 2.3.2 DHA and Benefits to Neurological Development 9 |
| | 2.3.3 DHA and EPA Health Benefits for Adults .13 |
| | CHAPTER 3 FISH AS A SOURCE OF METHYLMERCURY AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS15 |
| | 3.1 Methylmercury .15 |
| | 3.1.1 Sources, Toxicokinetics and Body Burden.15 |
| | 3.1.2 Effects associated with methylmercury intake from fish consumption18 |
| | 3.1.2.1 Neurotoxicity 18 |
| | 3.1.2.2 Reproductive Toxicity 21 |
| | 3.1.2.3 Cardiovascular Effects22 |
| | 3.1.2.4 Other Effects.23 |
| | 3.1.3 Tolerable Mercury Intakes24 |
| | 3.1.4 Allowable Levels of Mercury in Fish – ‘Action levels’ .25 |
| | 3.1.5 Mercury Levels in Fish.26 |
| | 3.1.6 Average Consumption of Methylmercury by Canadians .29 |
| | 3.2 Other Contaminants30 |
| | 3.2.1 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Farmed Salmon 30 |
| | 3.2.2 Polybroninated Diphenyl Ethers in Fish.36 |
| | CHAPTER 4 FISH CONSUMPTION RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVISORIES.37 |
| | 4.1 Consumption Recommendations37 |
| | 4.1.1 Canada 37 |
| | 4.1.2 United States.37 |
| | 4.1.3 United Kingdom .38 |
| | 4.2 Consumption Advisories 39 |
| | 4.2.1 Canada 39 |
| | 4.2.2 Province of Ontario - Sport Fish Program39 |
| | 4.2.3 Ontario Public Health Association .40 |
| | 4.2.4 United States.40 |
| | CHAPTER 5 METHYLMERCURY INTAKE BY FISH CONSUMPTION SCENARIO42 |
| | 5.1 Methods42 |
| | 5.2 Consumption Scenarios43 |
| | 5.2.1 Consumption Scenarios for a Pregnant Woman and a Woman of Childbearing Age .43 |
| | 5.2.2 Consumption Scenarios for a Child45 |
| | 5.3 Implications of Consumption Scenarios 47 |
| | CHAPTER 6 FISH CONSUMPTION - OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.50 |
| | 6.1 Identifying Low Risk Fish Species 50 |
| | 6.2 Advice to High Fish Consumers 50 |
| | 6.3 Fish Oil Supplements .51 |
| | 6.4 The State of Global Fisheries .54 |
| | CHAPTER 7 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .56 |
| | 7.1 Discussion 56 |
| | 7.2 Conclusions 63 |
| | CHAPTER 8 RECOMMENDATIONS.66 |
| | 8.1 Toronto Public Health Practice Recommendations .66 |
| | 8.2 Policy/Advocacy Recommendations67 |
| | 8.3 Research Recommendations 68 |
| | GLOSSARY OF TERMS69 |
| | REFERENCES 74 |
| | APPENDIX A: EXPOSURE TO MERCURY FROM FISH CONSUMPTION.92 |
| | LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES |