Today, the FDA and EPA issued draft updated advice for fish consumption. The advice for women is to eat at least 4-6 times the amount of fish as they are currently eating.
“For years many women have limited or avoided eating fish during pregnancy or feeding fish to their young children,” said Stephen Ostroff, M.D., the FDA’s acting chief scientist. “But emerging science now tells us that limiting or avoiding fish during pregnancy and early childhood can mean missing out on important nutrients that can have a positive impact on growth and development as well as on general health.”
The draft advice recommends that pregnant women eat at least 8 ounces and up to 12 ounces (2-3 servings) per week of a variety of fish. Currently pregnant women eat an average of just 1.8 oz.
Previously, the advice recommended maximum amounts of fish that these population groups should consume, but did not promote a minimum amount.
The draft advice can be found here.
This is a good first step and FDA is clearly recognizing the importance of seafood for these populations. However there’s a good deal of work left to be done by FDA and quite a bit of research to be reviewed to ensure the final advice matches the science and is crafted in a way that makes it clear and easy for moms-to-be to understand and act upon it.
Contact Gavin Gibbons at ggibbons@nfi.org or 703-752-8891.
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