Ignorance about fish threatening unborn children
Mothers who act on the recent report about a link between increased fish consumption in pregnancy and higher birthweight babies may be risking the health of their babies, campaigners warned today. A recent survey by the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation health charity (VVF) found widespread ignorance of the Food Standards Agency’s health warnings about mercury in oily fish and the Foundation warned today that mothers increasing their consumption of fish as a result of the study could be placing them in danger. Mercury is highly poisonous and can damage the kidney, heart and central nervous system, especially in developing and unborn children.
The reported research conducted by scientists in Bristol suggests that omega-3 fatty acids in fish boost blood supply and increase foetal growth. However, omega-3 fatty acids are available from plant sources without risk of the contamination from mercury and other pollutants found with fish. High levels of dangerous PCBs and dioxins are regularly identified and almost all fish contain detectable levels of mercury. Plants are the richest sources of omega-3 fats known and obtaining these healthy fats from the bottom of the food chain (plants) means risk of contamination is much reduced. Research increasingly shows that the best way to fight many degenerative diseases is to adopt a more plant-centred diet, low in saturated fat and high in essential plant fats from seeds, nuts and their oils such as flaxseed (linseed), walnuts, soyabean and rapeseed oil. In fact, fish oils are half as effective as plant oils in reducing heart attacks in high-risk patients.
The FSA recommends that pregnant women and prospective mothers should avoid eating shark, marlin and swordfish because they contain relatively higher levels of mercury. They may also need to limit the amount of tuna they eat. The VVF recently surveyed restaurants serving mercury-contaminated swordfish to ask whether there was anything on their menu which a pregnant woman should not eat. Of the 24 restaurants surveyed not a single one mentioned swordfish as a food for concern.
Tony Wardle, Associate Director of the Vegetarian and vegan Foundation says “It is extremely alarming that well-intentioned women may increase their fish intake as a result of this research and actually threaten their babies’ health. The VVF’s research shows that FSA’s advice about eating fish in pregnancy is simply not reaching people and that is a cause of grave concern. It is clear that omega-3 fatty acids are vitally important for health but when they can easily be obtained from safe and uncontaminated plant sources, no one should be consuming fish.”
Notes for Editors
The Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation’s report on the dangers of eating fish, Fishing for Facts, is available from Tony Wardle or can be read online at: http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/fish/reporttext.htm
For details of the Food Standard Agency’s advice on eating shark, swordfish and marlin:
www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/62503
For details of FSA advice on eating tuna:
www.foodstandards.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/tuna_mercury
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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