Today’s edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association publishes yet another study in the tide of research focusing on the health effects of consuming fish [1]. Researchers from the American School of Public Health discovered that eating fish once or twice a week is associated with a 36 per cent reduced risk of dying from heart disease, and a 17 per cent reduction in dying overall. The study went on to look at the effects of potential contaminants in fish including mercury (see today’s other blog for more information on this), dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Having weighed up the evidence, the authors of this study conclude that: the benefits of fish intake exceed the potential risks. For women of childbearing age, benefits of modest fish intake, excepting a few selected species, also outweigh risks. For those concerned about mercury contamination, the fish to avoid are swordfish, marlin and tuna.
References:
Mozaffarian D, et al. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;296:1885-1899
