I attended the World Seafood Congress in Dublin earlier this week and gave a presentation on the risks and benefits of fish consumption.
I drew heavily upon the advice of our independent experts on nutrition and toxicology. They weighed up the evidence on the developmental benefits to the fetus and infant, and cardiovascular benefits to adults, of consuming long chain omega 3 fatty acids in oily fish, against the developmental risks to the fetus of mercury and dioxins.
Using this assessment we have been able to give clear advice to consumers – and particularly pregnant women – on fish consumption.
At a population level the advice is clear: eat more fish. This is because very few people in the UK consume the recommended two portions of fish a week (one of which should be oily).
Indeed if we did, then this would raise interesting questions about the sustainability of our advice – and this is something we are analysing at the moment and will be consulting on.
Unfortunately I could not stay for the debate on the developmental effects on children of omega 3 fatty acids, an area of considerable controversy and uncertainty, but I look forward to hearing more about this interesting topic.
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