Perceptions of the risks and benefits of fish consumption: Individual choices to reduce risk and increase health benefits

Abstract

Studies of fish consumption often focus on awareness of and adherence to advisories, how much fish people eat, and contaminant levels in those fish. This paper examines knowledge and accuracy of risks and benefits of fish consumption among fishers and other recreationists in the New York Bight, indicative of whether they could make sound dietary decisions. While most respondents knew about health risks (70%) and benefits (94%) of consuming fish, far fewer could name specific risks and benefits. Less than 25% of respondents mentioned mercury and less than 15% mentioned that pregnant women and children were at risk. Far fewer people mentioned polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Nearly 70% said it was healthy to eat fish, and 45% were aware that fish were rich in healthful oils. Despite the lack of details about what specific risks and benefits of fish, well over a third did not feel they needed more information. Other respondents had basic questions, but did not pose specific questions about the fish they caught or ate that would have clarified their individual risk-balancing decisions. Knowledge of which fish were high in contaminants did not match the mercury or PCB levels in those fish. There was a disconnect between the information base about specific risks and benefits of fish consumption, levels of mercury and PCBs in fish, and the respondent’s desire for more information. These data indicate that respondents did not have enough accurate information about contaminants in fish to make informed risk-balancing decisions.

Zinc and Calcium Supplementation to Combat Cadmium Induced Bioaccumulation in Fresh Water Teleost Oreochromis Mossambicus (Tilapia)

“…In particular, the bioaccumulation of Cd, arsenic (As), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in the trophic food chain is the cause of concern since they can have deleterious effects on human health [35][36][37]. Furthermore, fish were one of the main links between the heavy metal present in the environment and the human exposure [38,39]. The results revealed that Cd concentrations were significantly increased in all the test tissues at all exposure periods.…”

Knowledge and barriers relating to fish consumption in older Australians

“…Studies conducted in various age groups have found that fish is perceived as a healthy food (Clonan, Holdsworth, Swift, Leibovici, & Wilson, 2011;Pieniak, Verbeke, & Scholderer, 2010), and many are aware that fish provides benefits to health (Burger & Gochfeld, 2009). Although there are emerging data relating to health behaviour and motives towards increasing fish and seafood intake (Verbeke, Sioen, Pieniak, Van Camp, & De Henauw, 2005;Olsen, Scholderer, Brunso, & Verbeke, 2007), there is limited information on consumers' knowledge and barriers towards fish consumption, and what predicts its consumption, particularly in older adults who are at greater risk for developing cardiovascular and related diseases (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2010).…”

Fish consumption by children in Canada: Review of evidence, challenges and future goals

“…This was demonstrated in a study in which pregnant women who reported improved awareness of fish advisories, also admitted to higher frequencies of fish avoidance (22). Another study found that consumers lacked accurate information on contaminants in fish to make informed risk-balancing decisions (23).…”