| | | Health Risks and Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury | |
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| Mercury and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Status in Geographically Diverse Populations | | S-HR-2 | | Combined Oral and Poster | | Fish consumption is the source of most exposures to methylmercury for humans. Nonetheless, many fish species are also major dietary sources of important nutrients and a predominant source of the dietary essential omega-3 fatty acids. Because the omega-3 fatty acids benefit the same organ systems damaged by mercury (specifically the nervous system and the cardiovascular system), their co-occurrence in the same food (i.e., fish) has raised a number of complex issues. Data presented in this session compares mercury and omega-3 fatty acid status for geographically diverse groups in the United States and France based on dietary intake and biomarkers including blood mercury and blood lipid profiles. Assessment of the role of these factors on health status (infant cognition in general as illustrated by specific very recent data from in a new United States cohort and the competing influence of mercury and omega-3 fatty acids on cardiac status) will be described. The remainder of the session will be composed of submitted presentations judged relevant to the session by the organizing committee. Relevant submitted presentations include abstracts on: fish consumption by pregnant women and women of childbearing age, any biomarker studies that include both omega-3 fatty acids and methylmercury, any health effect studies on coronary heart disease. | Kathryn R. Mahaffey
US EPA
Washington, DC USA
mahaffey.kate@epa.gov | David C. Bellinger
Harvard University
David.Bellinger@childrens.harvard.edu | |
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