The evidence overwhelmingly shows the benefits of eating seafood far outweigh any risks and that has been reinforced by discussions at the recent World Seafood Congress in Ireland,” Mr Palmer said. “Discussions were held there between international nutrition scientists and seafood administrators who could be characterised as a fairly conservative lot but there is an unequivocal view that consumption needs to be lifted at all ages and stages of life to improve health, and that includes pregnant women.”
Mr Palmer said one of the roles of Seafood Services Australia (SSA), a national industry-government body, was to act as a knowledge broker regarding the health benefits of seafood.
“Given that SSA has been maintaining a global network relating tothe health benefits of seafood for several years and encouraging information exchange on the issue worldwide, you could expect we would be trumpeting research that supports our arguments. However, several independent research projects have now confirmed the benefits of eating seafood far outweigh any risks and that is a message we need to be getting out to people of all age groups: eat more seafood.”
Mr Palmer said scientists at the World Seafood Congress were concerned that official advice in some countries, particularly in the western world, to restrict consumption because of mercury in seafood, was doing more harm than good.
“Coinciding with the Congress, delegates from an organisation called the International Association of Seafood Professionals (IAFI), again a fairly conservative body, met to consider mercury and seafood. They are calling for a reassessment of the situation because eating more seafood would improve human health rather than harm it.
“Congress delegates confirmed the major outstanding public health question is whether low intake from normal background levels of methylmercury in fish are causing subtle neurodevelopmental effects that warrant the current modes of risk management action, mindful of the growing body of evidence of the benefits of seafood consumption.
“They concluded the current challenge is to determine whether it is feasible to shift to a new paradigm for methylmercury based on assessments of risk that are adequately protective without being unduly precautionary, and taking into account the potential health benefits from fish consumption. They recommended public health authorities worldwide accept this challenge.”
Mr Palmer said the results of an influential research project had been published in the medical journal, The Lancet, earlier this year, examining maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood*.
“This was a joint US-UK project examining the possible benefits and hazards to a child’s development of different levels of maternal seafood intake during pregnancy by assessing seafood consumption in a total of 11,875 women at 32 weeks pregnant and subsequent studies of their children. The project was based on the fact that seafood is the predominant source of Omega-3 fatty acids, or oils, which are essential for optimum neural development. However, in the USA, women are advised to limit their seafood intake during pregnancy to 340 grams a week.
“The conclusion was that maternal seafood consumption of less than 340 g per week in pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes; in fact, just the opposite: there were beneficial effects on child development with maternal seafood intakes of more than 340 g per week, suggesting that advice to limit seafood consumption could actually be detrimental. The researchers said: ‘These results show that risks from the loss of nutrients were greater than the risks of harm from exposure to trace contaminants in 340 g seafood eaten weekly’.
”Also at the World Seafood Congress, Professor Michael Crawford, Director of the Institute of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition at the University of North London, said mental health was a bigger problem than obesity and one way to tackle it is to eat more seafood. Professor Crawford said the rise in brain disorders and mental health problems associated with a deficiency in Omega-3 oils as ‘the most pressing health issue of the 21st century: forget obesity, mental health is the real disaster already beginning to happen’.
“Dr Steven Otwell, Professor of Food Science & Human Nutrition at Florida University, talked about the importance of educating consumers to ensure they receive the benefits of seafood, given that average consumption is now less than one serving a week, while at least two servings a week are recommended. He also pointed out there is good research affirming the health benefits associated with increasing seafood consumption. In his words, ‘… limitations or avoidance in consumption could actually result in lost benefits and increased health risks amongst adults as well as suboptimum neurodevelopment during gestation’.
“Dr Alex Richardson, from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics at the University of Oxford, told the conference that eating more seafood can help with management of childhood behaviour disorders.
“Research has shown that fish oil supplements can help many children with dyspraxia, dyslexia or ADHD by improving their attention, concentration and behaviour. Dyslexia, dyspraxia, autistic spectrum disorders, ADHD and depression are all on the increase in the western world – and a general lack of Omega-3 in the diet is one possible reason for this. Dr Richardson advises parents that getting Omega-3 from foods is the preferred route, and that means eating plenty of fish and seafood on a regular basis, at least twice a week.”
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Mr Roy Palmer, Deputy Chair, Seafood Services Australia: 0419 528 733 or palmerroy@hotmail.com
Mr Ted Loveday, Managing Director, Seafood Services Australia: 0427 323 663 or tedloveday@seafoodservices.com.au
