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Demelash Abera B, Alefe Adimas M. Health benefits and health risks of contaminated fish consumption: Current research outputs, research approaches, and perspectives. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33905. [PMID: 39050454 PMCID: PMC11268356 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Fish contains high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals and due to this it is termed as an essential component of a balanced diet. But there have been concerns raised about the risks of consuming fish that is contaminated with toxins such as methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, pesticides, and plastic waste. Consumption of contaminated fish containing these pollutants is raising global mortality and morbidity rates. Scope and approaches The review examines the current research outputs on the health benefits and potential health risks of fish consumption. The review also discusses various approaches to mitigating the health problems caused by fish consumption, highlights the roles of balancing the risks and benefits when consuming fish. Key findings and conclusion Different findings indicated that contaminants cause cancer, kidney failure, adverse neurological effect, cardiovascular diseases, and so on to vulnerable groups such as pregnant, child breast-feeding and children. In conclusion, there is a need to get more tangible evidence about the advantages and disadvantages of fish consumption to safeguard the wellbeing of the society.
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Chamorro F, Cassani L, Garcia-Oliveira P, Barral-Martinez M, Jorge AOS, Pereira AG, Otero P, Fraga-Corral M, P. P. Oliveira MB, Prieto MA. Health benefits of bluefin tuna consumption: ( Thunnus thynnus) as a case study. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1340121. [PMID: 38628271 PMCID: PMC11018964 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1340121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Consumers are increasingly interested in food products with high nutritional value and health benefits. For instance, fish consumption is linked with diverse positive health benefits and the prevention of certain widespread disorders, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, or cardiovascular diseases. These benefits have been attributed to its excellent nutritional value (large amounts of high-quality fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals) and bioactive compounds, while being relatively low-caloric. Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus tynnus) is one of the most consumed species worldwide, motivated by its good nutritional and organoleptic characteristics. Recently, some organizations have proposed limitations on its consumption due to the presence of contaminants, mainly heavy metals such as mercury. However, several studies have reported that most specimens hold lower levels of contaminants than the established limits and that their richness in selenium effectively limits the contaminants' bioaccessibility in the human body. Considering this situation, this study aims to provide baseline data about the nutritional composition and the latest evidence regarding the beneficial effects of Atlantic bluefin tuna consumption. A review of the risk-benefit ratio was also conducted to evaluate the safety of its consumption, considering the current suggested limitations to this species' consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Chamorro
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - L. Cassani
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - P. Garcia-Oliveira
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - M. Barral-Martinez
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - A. O. S. Jorge
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- REQUIMTE/Serviço de Bromatologia, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - A. G. Pereira
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Paz Otero
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - M. Fraga-Corral
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | | | - M. A. Prieto
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)-CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- LAQV@REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Dack K, Huang P, Taylor CM, Rai D, Lewis SJ. Environmental and genetic predictors of whole blood mercury and selenium concentrations in pregnant women in a UK birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANCES 2024; 15:100469. [PMID: 38562418 PMCID: PMC10951965 DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
There is evidence that tissue concentrations of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are predicted by numerous dietary, sociodemographic, environmental, and genetic factors. This study aimed to estimate the relative importance of predictors of Hg and Se concentrations in blood samples taken from pregnant women. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in the UK measured whole blood Hg and Se concentrations in 3,972 pregnant women. We identified 30 potential predictors of Hg and 24 of Se, which were evaluated using cross-validated random forests to identify the optimal models for predictive power. The relative importance of individual variables was estimated by averaging the added-R2 per predictor. Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to estimate the variance explained by genotype. A multivariable model of 14 predictors explained 22.4% of Hg variance (95% CI: 13.0 to 37.1), including 6.9% from blood Se and 3.2% from white fish consumption. There were 11 predictors which explained 15.3% of Se variance (CI: 8.9 to 25.9), including 6.4% from blood Hg, 1.3% from blood lead, and 1.3% from oily fish. Measured genetic variation explained 30% of Hg variance (CI: 8.4 to 51.5) and 37.5% of Se (CI: 10.4 to 64.5). A high proportion of Hg and Se variance could be explained from dietary, sociodemographic, metabolic, and genetic factors. Seafood consumption was less predictive of Hg than may be expected and other factors should be considered when determining risk of exposure. There was tentative evidence that genotype is a major contributor to Hg and Se variation, possibly by modifying the efficacy of internal metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Dack
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Peiyuan Huang
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Dheeraj Rai
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sarah J Lewis
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Shaw S, He X, Haban A, Tomasallo C, Meiman J. A focus group study of fish consumption behaviors among Asian women in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102528. [PMID: 38116265 PMCID: PMC10728455 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Consumption of locally caught fish provides health benefits but can be a route of exposure to methylmercury and other persistent environmental contaminants. Previous studies found that Asian women of childbearing age (WCBA) in the Milwaukee area have high levels of exposure through fish consumption but limited awareness of fish advisories. We conducted a focus group project to understand the influence of culture, attitudes, and beliefs on the fish consumption habits of Chinese, Hmong, and Karen WCBA who reside in the Milwaukee area to develop culturally appropriate educational materials. A total of 19 women aged 18-50 years identifying as Chinese, Hmong, or Karen were recruited. Three focus groups were held, each consisting of 6-7 participants from one ethnicity. Focus group transcripts were thematically analyzed and coded based on the integrated behavioral model. Nutritional benefits and availability were the most common reasons to eat locally caught fish. All participants were aware of risks associated with eating fish, yet few knew ways to mitigate risk and maximize benefits. Participants expressed interest in receiving health messages from trusted sources and recommended that messaging target families rather than just individuals. Participants who were confident in their self-efficacy expressed a greater likelihood of following health message guidelines. Results suggest providing culturally appropriate educational materials in preferred languages to Asian communities via local community organizations may increase self-efficacy and adherence to fish advisories. Future projects will evaluate the effectiveness of self-affirmation messaging among Asian WCBA and assess changes in fish consumption based on message content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer Shaw
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, United States
- CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Xiaofei He
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Amanda Haban
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Carrie Tomasallo
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jon Meiman
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, WI, United States
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5
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Chamorro F, Otero P, Carpena M, Fraga-Corral M, Echave J, Seyyedi-Mansour S, Cassani L, Prieto MA. Health Benefits of Oily Fish: Illustrated with Blue Shark ( Prionace glauca), Shortfin Mako Shark ( Isurus oxyrinchus), and Swordfish ( Xiphias gladius). Nutrients 2023; 15:4919. [PMID: 38068777 PMCID: PMC10708079 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Oily fish is a rich source of energy, proteins, essential amino acids, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. Among the macronutrients with the highest contribution are lipids, mainly long-chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LC-PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both EPA and DHA play a beneficial role in promoting health and preventing many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and acute myocardial infarction. They also contribute to the prevention of neurological, metabolic, and immune-system-related diseases, as well as supporting body-weight control. Oily fish consumption is also important at different stages of human life, from conception to old age. For example, DHA plays an important role in brain and retina development during fetal development and in the first two years of life, as it positively influences neurodevelopment, such as visual acuity, and cognitive functions. In contrast with the possible health benefits of the intake of oily fish, the presence of certain chemical pollutants, for example, heavy metals, can be a risk for the health of consumers, mainly in sensitive population groups such as pregnant women and children under 2 years of age. The presence of these pollutants is influenced to a greater extent by fish species, their role in the trophic chain, and their size. However, various studies state that the benefits outweigh the risk of consuming certain species. This review will be focused on the health benefits of the intake of three oily fish species, namely blue shark (Prionace glauca), shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), and swordfish (Xiphias gladius).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Miguel A. Prieto
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)—CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain; (F.C.); (P.O.); (M.C.); (M.F.-C.); (J.E.); (S.S.-M.); (L.C.)
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Conway MC, Yeates AJ, Love TM, Weller D, McSorley EM, Mulhern MS, Wesolowska M, Watson GE, Myers GJ, Shamlaye CF, Henderson J, Davidson PW, van Wijngaarden E, Strain JJ. Maternal fish consumption and child neurodevelopment in Nutrition 1 Cohort: Seychelles Child Development Study. Br J Nutr 2023; 130:1366-1372. [PMID: 36759019 PMCID: PMC10511674 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114523000375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Maternal fish consumption exposes the fetus to beneficial nutrients and potentially adverse neurotoxicants. The current study investigated associations between maternal fish consumption and child neurodevelopmental outcomes. Maternal fish consumption was assessed in the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 1 (n 229) using 4-day food diaries. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 9 and 30 months, and 5 and 9 years with test batteries assessing twenty-six endpoints and covering multiple neurodevelopmental domains. Analyses used multiple linear regression with adjustment for covariates known to influence child neurodevelopment. This cohort consumed an average of 8 fish meals/week and the total fish intake during pregnancy was 106·8 (sd 61·9) g/d. Among the twenty-six endpoints evaluated in the primary analysis there was one beneficial association. Children whose mothers consumed larger quantities of fish performed marginally better on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (a test of nonverbal intelligence) at age 5 years (β 0·003, 95 % CI (0, 0·005)). A secondary analysis dividing fish consumption into tertiles found no significant associations when comparing the highest and lowest consumption groups. In this cohort, where fish consumption is substantially higher than current global recommendations, maternal fish consumption during pregnancy was not beneficially or adversely associated with children's neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie C. Conway
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Alison J. Yeates
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Tanzy M. Love
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Weller
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Emeir M. McSorley
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Maria S. Mulhern
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Maria Wesolowska
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Gene E. Watson
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gary J. Myers
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Philip W. Davidson
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - J. J. Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
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7
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Beasant L, Ingram J, Taylor CM. Fish Consumption during Pregnancy in Relation to National Guidance in England in a Mixed-Methods Study: The PEAR Study. Nutrients 2023; 15:3217. [PMID: 37513635 PMCID: PMC10384333 DOI: 10.3390/nu15143217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Guidance on foods to limit or avoid in pregnancy is provided on the NHS website for England. Advice on fish consumption is related to exposure to mercury, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, which may have adverse effects on fetal neurodevelopment. Our aim was to provide evidence on the effectiveness of the guidance in minimising exposure to toxins while maximising nutrient intake in a mixed-methods study. An online questionnaire on fish consumption before/during pregnancy was completed by postpartum women (≤12 months) in England (n = 598). A subsample of participants was invited to take part in an interview (n = 14). Women who ate fish before pregnancy reduced their intakes of both oily and white fish during pregnancy, with some avoiding it altogether. Women did not exceed the limit on tinned tuna, but there was evidence of mis-recall on the suggested limit. Overall intakes of fish were below that recommended during pregnancy (36% compliance for pre-pregnancy consumers). Barriers to fish consumption included risk aversion, confusion over specific details of the guidance, cost, availability, family preferences and smell/taste. Clarity and simplicity of the NHS guidance, with an overall message on the number of portions of fish a week advised prominently shown, would help pregnant women to benefit from the nutrients in fish while minimising exposure to toxins. The guidance on the number of cans of tuna advised per week is poorly recalled and needs to be disseminated accurately. The guidance on shark/marlin/swordfish could receive less prominence as it is rarely eaten by pregnant women in England.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Beasant
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Jenny Ingram
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
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Katsonouri A, Gabriel C, Esteban López M, Namorado S, Halldorsson TI, Snoj Tratnik J, Rodriguez Martin L, Karakoltzidis A, Chatzimpaloglou A, Giannadaki D, Anastasi E, Thoma A, Domínguez-Morueco N, Cañas Portilla AI, Jacobsen E, Assunção R, Peres M, Santiago S, Nunes C, Pedraza-Diaz S, Iavicoli I, Leso V, Lacasaña M, González-Alzaga B, Horvat M, Sepai O, Castano A, Kolossa-Gehring M, Karakitsios S, Sarigiannis D. HBM4EU-MOM: Prenatal methylmercury-exposure control in five countries through suitable dietary advice for pregnancy - Study design and characteristics of participants. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114213. [PMID: 37393843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seafood is a major source of vital nutrients for optimal fetal growth, but at the same time is the main source of exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), an established neurodevelopmental toxicant. Pregnant women must be provided with dietary advice so as to include safely fish in their diet for nutrition and mercury control. The aim of this work is to present the design of a multicentre randomized control trial (RCT), which combines human biomonitoring (HBM) with dietary interventions using seafood consumption advice to pregnant women for MeHg control, and to collect information about other possible sources of exposure to mercury. It also presents the materials developed for the implementation of the study and the characteristics of the study participants, which were self-reported in the first trimester of pregnancy. METHODS The "HBM4EU-MOM" RCT was performed in the frame of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) in five coastal, high fish-consuming European countries (Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Iceland). According to the study design, pregnant women (≥120/country, ≤20 weeks gestational age) provided a hair sample for total mercury assessment (THg) and personal information relevant to the study (e.g., lifestyle, pregnancy status, diet before and during the pregnancy, information on seafood and factors related to possible non-dietary exposures to mercury) during the first trimester of pregnancy. After sampling, participants were randomly assigned to "control" (habitual practices) or "intervention" (received the harmonized HBM4EU-MOM dietary advice for fish consumption during the pregnancy and were encouraged to follow it). Around child delivery, participants provided a second hair sample and completed another tailored questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 654 women aged 18-45 years were recruited in 2021 in the five countries, primarily through their health-care providers. The pre-pregnancy BMI of the participants ranged from underweight to obese, but was on average within the healthy range. For 73% of the women, the pregnancy was planned. 26% of the women were active smokers before the pregnancy and 8% continued to smoke during the pregnancy, while 33% were passive smokers before pregnancy and 23% remained passively exposed during the pregnancy. 53% of the women self-reported making dietary changes for their pregnancy, with 74% of these women reporting making the changes upon learning of their pregnancy. Of the 43% who did not change their diet for the pregnancy, 74% reported that their diet was already balanced, 6% found it difficult to make changes and 2% were unsure of what changes to make. Seafood consumption did not change significantly before and during the first trimester of pregnancy (overall average ∼8 times per month), with the highest frequency reported in Portugal (≥15 times per month), followed by Spain (≥7 times per month). During the first-trimester of pregnancy, 89% of the Portuguese women, 85% of the Spanish women and <50% of Greek, Cypriot and Icelandic women reported that they had consumed big oily fish. Relevant to non-dietary exposure sources, most participants (>90%) were unaware of safe procedures for handling spillage from broken thermometers and energy-saving lamps, though >22% experienced such an incident (>1 year ago). 26% of the women had dental amalgams. ∼1% had amalgams placed and ∼2% had amalgams removed during peri-pregnancy. 28% had their hair dyed in the past 3 months and 40% had body tattoos. 8% engaged with gardening involving fertilizers/pesticides and 19% with hobbies involving paints/pigments/dyes. CONCLUSIONS The study design materials were fit for the purposes of harmonization and quality-assurance. The harmonized information collected from pregnant women suggests that it is important to raise the awareness of women of reproductive age and pregnant women about how to safely include fish in their diet and to empower them to make proper decisions for nutrition and control of MeHg, as well as other chemical exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Gabriel
- HERACLES Research Center - KEDEK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Marta Esteban López
- Environmental Toxicology Unit, National Centre for Environmental Health. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CNSA-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Namorado
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal; NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | | | - Achilleas Karakoltzidis
- HERACLES Research Center - KEDEK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anthoula Chatzimpaloglou
- HERACLES Research Center - KEDEK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Elena Anastasi
- State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Anthi Thoma
- State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Noelia Domínguez-Morueco
- Environmental Toxicology Unit, National Centre for Environmental Health. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CNSA-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I Cañas Portilla
- Environmental Toxicology Unit, National Centre for Environmental Health. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CNSA-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ricardo Assunção
- Egas Moniz School & Health Science, Campus Universitário, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511, Monte de Caparica, Almada, Portugal
| | - Maria Peres
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Santiago
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carla Nunes
- Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Pedraza-Diaz
- Environmental Toxicology Unit, National Centre for Environmental Health. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CNSA-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ivo Iavicoli
- Department of Public Health University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Veruscka Leso
- Department of Public Health University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Marina Lacasaña
- Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Andalusian Health and Environment Observatory (OSMAN), Granada, Spain
| | - Beatriz González-Alzaga
- Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain; CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ovnair Sepai
- UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemicals and Environment Division, Harwell, UK
| | - Argelia Castano
- Environmental Toxicology Unit, National Centre for Environmental Health. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CNSA-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Spyros Karakitsios
- HERACLES Research Center - KEDEK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimosthenis Sarigiannis
- HERACLES Research Center - KEDEK, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Environmental Health Engineering, School for Advanced Study IUSS, Pavia, Italy
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Wang X, Xie Q, Wang Y, Lü H, Fu M, Wang D, Li J. Hg bioaccumulation in the aquatic food web from tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China and potential consumption advisories. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131902. [PMID: 37364435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) holds the distinction of being China's largest reservoir, and the presence of pollutants in the fish from the reservoir have a direct impact on the health of local residents. Thus, 349 fish specimens of 21 species and 1 benthos (Bellamya aeruginosas) were collected from four typical tributaries of the TGR from 2019 to 2020. These specimens were analyzed for the concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg), and some representative samples were tested for δ13C and δ15N values to reveal the characteristics of bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The maximum safe daily consumption was estimated based on the oral reference dose (0.1 μg kg-1 bw/day according to US-EPA, 2017). The results showed that the mean THg and MeHg concentrations in fish from the TGR tributaries were 73.18 ± 49.21 ng g-1 and 48.42 ± 40.66 ng g-1, respectively, with the trophic magnification factors (TMFs) of THg and MeHg being 0.066 and 0.060, respectively. Among all the fish species in the tributaries, the highest daily maximum safe consumption amount was 1253.89 g for S. asotus consumed by adults, while the lowest was 62.88 g for C. nasus consumed by children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueheng Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qing Xie
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Resources, Environment and Safety, Chongqing Vocational Institute of Engineering, Chongqing 402260, China; College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongmin Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongjian Lü
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; National Base of International S&T Collaboration on Water Environmental Monitoring and Simulation in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Mei Fu
- College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; National Base of International S&T Collaboration on Water Environmental Monitoring and Simulation in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Jiajia Li
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; National Base of International S&T Collaboration on Water Environmental Monitoring and Simulation in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Álvarez-Silvares E, Fernández-Cruz T, Bermudez-González M, Rubio-Cid P, Almeida A, Pinto E, Seoane-Pillado T, Martínez-Carballo E. Placental levels of essential and non-essential trace element in relation to neonatal weight in Northwestern Spain: application of generalized additive models. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:62566-62578. [PMID: 36943567 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26560-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Adequate gestational progression depends to a great extent on placental development, which can modify maternal and neonatal outcomes. Any environmental toxicant, including metals, with the capacity to affect the placenta can alter the development of the pregnancy and its outcome. The objective of this study was to correlate the placenta levels of 14 essential and non-essential elements with neonatal weight. We examined relationships between placental concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, mercury, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, rubidium, selenium, strontium, and zinc from 79 low obstetric risk pregnant women in Ourense (Northwestern Spain, 42°20'12.1″N 7°51.844'O) with neonatal weight. We tested associations between placental metal concentrations and neonatal weight by conducting multivariable linear regressions using generalized linear models (GLM) and generalized additive models (GAM). While placental Co (p = 0.03) and Sr (p = 0.048) concentrations were associated with higher neonatal weight, concentrations of Li (p = 0.027), Mo (p = 0.049), and Se (p = 0.02) in the placenta were associated with lower newborn weight. Our findings suggest that the concentration of some metals in the placenta may affect fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Álvarez-Silvares
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, C/ Ramón Puga 54, 32005, Ourense, Spain.
| | - Tania Fernández-Cruz
- Food and Health Omics, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Campus da Auga, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
| | - Mónica Bermudez-González
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, C/ Ramón Puga 54, 32005, Ourense, Spain
| | - Paula Rubio-Cid
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, C/ Ramón Puga 54, 32005, Ourense, Spain
| | - Agostinho Almeida
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Edgar Pinto
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, P. Porto, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Elena Martínez-Carballo
- Food and Health Omics, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Campus da Auga, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain
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11
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Bello TCS, Buralli RJ, Cunha MPL, Dórea JG, Diaz-Quijano FA, Guimarães JRD, Marques RC. Mercury Exposure in Women of Reproductive Age in Rondônia State, Amazon Region, Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5225. [PMID: 36982134 PMCID: PMC10049295 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20065225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental contamination by mercury (Hg) is a problem of global scale that affects human health. This study's aim was to evaluate Hg exposure among women of reproductive age residing in the Madeira River basin, in the State of Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. This longitudinal cohort study used linear regression models to assess the effects on Hg levels of breastfeeding duration at 6 months, and of breastfeeding duration and number of new children at 2-year and 5-year. Breastfeeding duration was significantly associated with maternal Hg levels in all regression models (6 months, 2 years and 5 years) and no significant association was observed between the number of children and the change in maternal Hg levels in the 2-year and 5-year models. This longitudinal cohort study evaluated Hg levels and contributing factors among pregnant women from different communities (riverine, rural, mining and urban) in Rondônia, Amazon Region, for 5 years. A well-coordinated and designed national biomonitoring program is urgently needed to better understand the current situation of Hg levels in Brazil and the Amazon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayssa C. S. Bello
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé 27965-045, Brazil;
| | - Rafael J. Buralli
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil;
| | - Mônica P. L. Cunha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho 76801-058, Brazil;
| | - José G. Dórea
- Departamento de Nutrição, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasilia 70970-000, Brazil;
| | - Fredi A. Diaz-Quijano
- Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil;
| | - Jean R. D. Guimarães
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-170, Brazil;
| | - Rejane C. Marques
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé 27965-045, Brazil;
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12
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Muñoz A, Larrea-Killinger C, Fontalba-Navas A, Company-Morales M. Categorizations of Trust and Distrust in the Classifications and Social Representations of Food among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Spain-Applying the Cultural Domains' Pile Sort Technique. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20054195. [PMID: 36901205 PMCID: PMC10002182 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Food is fundamental in the decision making of pregnant and breastfeeding women to care for their own health and that of their child. In this paper, we explore some common food classification systems and certain attributes assigned to these categories, represented by values of trust and distrust. This study is based on an interdisciplinary research project in which we analysed discourses and practices regarding the dietary intake of pregnant and breastfeeding women in relation to the presence of chemical substances in foods. The results presented are part of the second phase of this research where we explored the results of our analysis of the pile sort technique based on an analysis of cultural domains in order to explore the categories and semantic relations among terms regarding trust and distrust in food. This technique was applied to the 62 pregnant and breastfeeding women of Catalonia and Andalusia. These women also participated in eight focus groups that provided information and narratives enabling us to analyse the meanings of the associative subdomains obtained in the pile sorts. They classified different foods and assigned certain attributes to them according to the level of trust and mistrust, providing a social representation of food risks. The mothers expressed great concern about the quality of the food they consume and about its possible effects on their own health and on that of their child. They perceive that an adequate diet is one based on the consumption of fruits and vegetables, preferably fresh. Fish and meat generate serious concern, as their properties are considered ambivalent depending on the food's origin and mode of production. These criteria are perceived by women as relevant to their food decisions and, therefore, emic knowledge should be taken into account when developing food safety programmes and planning actions aimed at pregnant and breastfeeding women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Araceli Muñoz
- Training and Research Unit—School of Social Work, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Research and Innovation Group in Social Work (GRITS), TRU—School of Social Work, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- “ToxicBody” Interdisciplinary Network, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Larrea-Killinger
- “ToxicBody” Interdisciplinary Network, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- Research Group “Anthropology of Crisis and Contemporary Transformations (CRITS)”, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Fontalba-Navas
- “ToxicBody” Interdisciplinary Network, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- Antequera Hospital, Northern Málaga Integrated Healthcare Area, 29200 Antequera, Spain
- Department of Public Health and Psychiatry, University of Málaga, 29016 Málaga, Spain
| | - Miguel Company-Morales
- “ToxicBody” Interdisciplinary Network, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- Seron Primary Care Centre, Northern Almería Integrated Healthcare Area, 04600 Huercal-Overa, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 La Cañada, Spain
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13
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Vafai Y, Yeung E, Roy A, He D, Li M, Hinkle SN, Grobman WA, Newman R, Gleason JL, Tekola-Ayele F, Zhang C, Grantz KL. The association between first-trimester omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fetal growth trajectories. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 228:224.e1-224.e16. [PMID: 35952840 PMCID: PMC9877160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, particularly docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, has been associated with greater birthweight in clinical trials; however, its effect on fetal growth throughout gestation is unknown. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the association between first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation and growth trajectories of estimated fetal weight and specific fetal biometrics measured longitudinally from the second trimester of pregnancy to delivery. STUDY DESIGN In a multisite, prospective cohort of racially diverse, low-risk pregnant women, we used secondary data analysis to examine fetal growth trajectories in relation to self-reported (yes or no) first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation. Fetal ultrasonographic measurements, including abdominal circumference, biparietal diameter, femur length, head circumference, and humerus length, were measured at enrollment (8-13 weeks) and up to 5 follow-up visits. Estimated fetal weight and head circumference-to-abdominal circumference ratio (a measure of growth symmetry) were calculated. Fetal growth trajectories were modeled for each measure using a linear mixed model with cubic splines. If significant differences in fetal growth trajectories between groups were observed (global P<.05), weekly comparisons were performed to determine when in gestation these differences emerged. Analyses were adjusted for maternal sociodemographics, parity, infant sex, total energy consumption, and diet quality score. All analyses were repeated using dietary docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid intake, dichotomized at the recommended cutoff for pregnant and lactating women (≥0.25 vs <0.25 g/d), among women who did not report supplement intake in the first trimester of pregnancy were repeated. RESULTS Among 1535 women, 143 (9%) reported docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation in the first trimester of pregnancy. Overall, first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation was associated with statistically significant differences (P-value <.05) in fetal growth trajectories during pregnancy. Specifically, estimated fetal weight was larger among women with docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation than among those without supplementation (global P=.028) with significant weekly differences in median estimated fetal weight most apparent between 38 to 41 weeks of gestation (median estimated fetal weight difference at 40 weeks of gestation, 114 g). Differences in fetal growth trajectories for abdominal circumference (P=.003), head circumference (P=.003), and head circumference-to-abdominal circumference ratio (P=.0004) were also identified by supplementation status. In weekly comparisons, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplement use was associated with larger median abdominal circumference (changed from 2 to 9 mm) in midpregnancy onward (19 to 41 weeks), larger median head circumference between 30 to 33 weeks of gestation, and smaller median head circumference-to-abdominal circumference ratio in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. There was no specific weekly difference in fetal femur length or humerus length by docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation. First-trimester dietary sources of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid among women with no first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation (n=1392) were associated with differences in fetal biparietal diameter (P=.043), but not other metrics of fetal growth. At the recommended dietary docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid levels compared with below-recommended levels, biparietal diameter was larger between 38 to 41 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION In this racially diverse pregnancy cohort, first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation was associated with significant increases in fetal growth, specifically greater estimated fetal abdominal circumference in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassaman Vafai
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Edwina Yeung
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Anindya Roy
- University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
| | - Dian He
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; The Prospective Group, Inc, Fairfax, VA
| | - Mengying Li
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Stefanie N Hinkle
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Roger Newman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Jessica L Gleason
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Fasil Tekola-Ayele
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Cuilin Zhang
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Global Center for Asian Women's Health, Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity & Equality, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Katherine L Grantz
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
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14
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Selenium Status: Its Interactions with Dietary Mercury Exposure and Implications in Human Health. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14245308. [PMID: 36558469 PMCID: PMC9785339 DOI: 10.3390/nu14245308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Selenium is an essential trace element in humans and animals and its role in selenoprotein and enzyme antioxidant activity is well documented. Food is the principal source of selenium, and it is important that selenium status in the body is adequately maintained for physiological functions. There has been increasing attention on the role of selenium in mitigating the toxic effects of mercury exposure from dietary intake in humans. In contrast, mercury is a neurotoxin, and its continuous exposure can cause adverse health effects in humans. The interactions of selenium and mercury are multi-factorial and involve complex binding mechanisms between these elements at a molecular level. Further insights and understanding in this area may help to evaluate the health implications of dietary mercury exposure and selenium status. This review aims to summarise current information on the interplay of the interactions between selenium and mercury in the body and the protective effect of selenium on at-risk groups in a population who may experience long-term mercury exposure.
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15
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Chen B, Dong S. Mercury Contamination in Fish and Its Effects on the Health of Pregnant Women and Their Fetuses, and Guidance for Fish Consumption-A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15929. [PMID: 36498005 PMCID: PMC9739465 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As a principal source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (3FAs), which provide vital health benefits, fish consumption also comes with the additional benefit of being rich in diverse nutrients (e.g., vitamins and selenium, high in proteins and low in saturated fats, etc.). The consumption of fish and other seafood products has been significantly promoted universally, given that fish is an important part of a healthy diet. However, many documents indicate that fish may also be a potential source of exposure to chemical pollutants, especially mercury (Hg) (one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of concern worldwide), and this is a grave concern for many consumers, especially pregnant women, as this could affect their fetuses. In this review, the definition of Hg and its forms and mode of entrance into fish are introduced in detail and, moreover, the bio-accumulation of Hg in fish and its toxicity and action mechanisms on fish and humans, especially considering the health of pregnant women and their fetuses after the daily intake of fish, are also reviewed. Finally, some feasible and constructive suggestions and guidelines are recommended for the specific group of pregnant women for the consumption of balanced and appropriate fish diets in a rational manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojian Chen
- Food Science and Engineering, Haide College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Shiyuan Dong
- College of Food Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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16
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Connelly NA, Lauber TB, Knuth BA. Preferences for seafood consumption advice in pregnant American women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:114058. [PMID: 35995233 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many women of childbearing age, and pregnant and nursing women in particular, do not consume enough seafood to derive optimal health benefits for themselves and their children. We sought to identify how seafood consumption advice could be designed to encourage pregnant women to eat recommended amounts of seafood. In three focus groups with pregnant or recently pregnant American women, we examined reactions to three aspects of seafood consumption advice. First, we found focus group participants preferred gain-framed statements emphasizing benefits of taking action vs. loss-framed statements emphasizing costs of failing to take action. Many participants indicated the gain-framed statements would encourage them to eat seafood and increase their consumption. Second, we compared responses to a recommendation to eat seafood and a recommendation to eat lower mercury seafood because fear of mercury is a known barrier to seafood consumption by pregnant women. We found no clear preference in our focus groups for either message, suggesting potential value of both messages in communication. Lastly, we examined preferences for systems of categorizing seafood into different consumption categories where the number of categories and the number of species listed in each category varied. We found shorter, dichotomous lists of species to eat and avoid were preferred by some participants for their clarity and ease of use. Longer, more comprehensive lists with additional species and consumption categories (e.g., eat once a week), however, were preferred by many participants because they provided more options and were more likely to be used as a reference. These findings suggest using a layered approach to communication might be helpful by providing short, dichotomous lists of best seafood to eat and seafood to be avoided followed by a link to a longer, more complete list of recommended seafood to be eaten and seafood that should be avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy A Connelly
- Cornell Center for Conservation Social Sciences, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 105 Fernow Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
| | - T Bruce Lauber
- Cornell Center for Conservation Social Sciences, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 105 Fernow Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States.
| | - Barbara A Knuth
- Cornell Center for Conservation Social Sciences, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 105 Fernow Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
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17
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Mohammadi S, Shafiee M, Faraji SN, Rezaeian M, Ghaffarian-Bahraman A. Contamination of breast milk with lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biometals 2022; 35:711-728. [PMID: 35575819 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-022-00395-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Breast milk is a complete food for the development of the newborn, but it can also be an important route for environmental pollutants transmission to the infants. This study was aimed to evaluate the status of heavy metals including lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in the breast milk of Iranian mothers. The international databases including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and the Persian electronic databases including Scientific Information Database, IranMedex and Magiran were examined to find relevant articles published until July 2021. A total of 23 studies examined the levels of toxic metals in Iranian breast milk samples. According to the findings, the pooled average concentrations (µg/L) of Pb, Cd, Hg and As were 25.61, 2.40, 1.29 and 1.16, respectively. The concentration of Hg and Pb in colostrum milk was more than twice of mature milk. The Hg mean concentration in the breast milk of mothers with at least one amalgam-filled tooth was approximately three times that of mothers without amalgam-filled teeth. Risk assessment analysis indicated that the intake of Pb and Hg by infants through breastfeeding can be considered a health concern in Iran. It seems necessary to reduce the Pb exposure of pregnant and lactating women in Iran. However, more extensive studies are needed to clarify the toxic metals' exposure status of infants through breast milk in other parts of the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman Mohammadi
- Nutritional Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Maryam Shafiee
- Nephro-Urology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Nooreddin Faraji
- School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Rezaeian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Occupational Environment Research Center, Medical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Ali Ghaffarian-Bahraman
- Occupational Environment Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
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18
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Ibrahim I, Bashir M, Singh P, Al Khodor S, Abdullahi H. The Impact of Nutritional Supplementation During Pregnancy on the Incidence of Gestational Diabetes and Glycaemia Control. Front Nutr 2022; 9:867099. [PMID: 35464031 PMCID: PMC9024356 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.867099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nutritional state before and throughout pregnancy has a critical impact on the women's health and the baby's development and growth. The release of placental hormones during pregnancy induces/ increases maternal insulin resistance and promotes nutrition utilization by the fetus. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most common medical complication in pregnancy and is associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity. Several studies have examined the effect of physical activity, healthy eating, and various food supplements on the risk of developing gestational diabetes (GDM) and related outcomes. Among those, Myo-Inositol supplementation has shown encouraging results in the prevention of GDM. Maternal vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an elevated risk of GDM, and supplementation can improve glucose haemostasis by lowering fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and serum insulin concentration. Probiotics modulate the gut microbiota leading to an improved glucose and lipid metabolism, which is proposed to reduce the risk of GDM. We aim to review the strength and limitation of the current evidence for using some nutritional supplements either as single agents or in combinations on the risk of developing GDM and on glycaemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Ibrahim
- Sidra Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammed Bashir
- Endocrine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Parul Singh
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Hala Abdullahi
- Sidra Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
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19
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Dack K, Fell M, Taylor CM, Havdahl A, Lewis SJ. Prenatal Mercury Exposure and Neurodevelopment up to the Age of 5 Years: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19041976. [PMID: 35206164 PMCID: PMC8871549 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19041976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental delays can interfere with children’s engagement with the world and further development, and may have negative consequences into adulthood. Mercury is highly toxic and may negatively influence neurodevelopment because it can freely cross the placenta and accumulate in the fetal brain. We searched four publication databases (Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus) for studies examining the relationship between early life mercury exposure and scores on neurodevelopmental performance measures in children aged 0 to 5 years old. Study quality was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool. Thirty-two prospective studies were included in the review. Neurodevelopmental performance was measured using 23 different scales, most commonly the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID). In most cases, the evidence for an association between mercury and neurodevelopment was weak. There did not appear to be exceptions for particular childhood ages, outcome scales, or mercury levels. The small number of results to the contrary were more likely to be studies which did not meet our high-quality criteria, and could be a consequence of multiple testing, selection bias, or incomplete confounder adjustment. Based on current evidence, dietary mercury exposure during pregnancy is unlikely to be a risk factor for low neurodevelopmental functioning in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Dack
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Matthew Fell
- Cleft Collective, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
| | - Caroline M. Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway;
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, 0853 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah J. Lewis
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
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20
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Fish consumption in relation to national advice in pregnant women in England. Proc Nutr Soc 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0029665122000155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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21
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Association of Blood Mercury Levels with the Risks of Overweight and High Waist-to-Height Ratio in Children and Adolescents: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 8:children8121087. [PMID: 34943283 PMCID: PMC8700710 DOI: 10.3390/children8121087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
A previous study in adults demonstrated the substantial role of mercury exposure in the development of overweight and obesity. Although children and adolescents are more susceptible to the toxic effects of mercury than adults, studies on the association of overweight and obesity with mercury exposure is limited. This study aimed to investigate the association of blood mercury levels with the body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as obesity indices in Korean children and adolescents. The analyzed cross-sectional data were obtained from 1327 participants (age: 10–18 years; 672 male and 655 female) who completed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2013. The covariates included sociodemographic factors (age, sex, and household income), dietary factors (fish, shellfish, and seaweed consumption), lifestyle factors (alcohol consumption, smoking status, and exercise), and blood hematocrit levels. The adjusted geometric mean blood mercury level was 2.19 µg/L, and the level of mercury was significantly higher in the overweight (BMI ≥ 85th gender and age-specific percentiles) and high WHtR (cutoff: ≥0.5) groups than in the normal group. In all the participants, the blood mercury levels were significantly positively associated with the BMI and WHtR after adjusting for all covariates (p < 0.05). All the participants in the highest blood mercury level quartile were at a higher risk for overweight and a high WHtR than those in the lowest quartile after adjusting for all covariates (p < 0.05). Our study suggests a significant association between mercury exposure and the risks of overweight and high WHtR in Korean children and adolescents.
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Leikin-Frenkel A, Mohr-Sasson A, Anteby M, Kandel-Kfir M, Harari A, Rahav R, Kamari Y, Shaish A, Harats D, Cohen H, Hendler I. Blood fatty acid analysis reveals similar n-3 fatty acid composition in non-pregnant and pregnant women and their neonates in an Israeli pilot study. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2021; 173:102339. [PMID: 34487973 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is required during pregnancy to supply for normal fetal growth and development. This pilot study aimed to assess the unknown fatty acid (FA) composition in a cohort of non-pregnant and pregnant Israeli women at term and their offspring on a normal diet without n-3 FA supplementation. The fatty acid profile, analyzed using gas chromatography, showed significantly higher plasma monounsaturated (MUFA) and lower n-6 FA percent distribution with similar n-3 index, in pregnant compared to non-pregnant women. RBC exhibited significantly higher MUFA with similar n-3 index, in pregnant compared to non-pregnant women. N-3 FA significantly correlated between neonates' plasma, with higher n-3 index, and pregnant women's DHA. Conclusion: DHA levels in non-pregnant and pregnant Israeli women at term were comparable and the DHA in pregnant women's plasma positively correlated with their neonate's level, suggesting an efficient mother-fetus FA transfer and/or fetal fatty acid metabolism to longer FA products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Leikin-Frenkel
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Aya Mohr-Sasson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601, Israel
| | - Matan Anteby
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601, Israel
| | - Michal Kandel-Kfir
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel
| | - Ayelet Harari
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel
| | - Roni Rahav
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yehuda Kamari
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Aviv Shaish
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel; Achva Academic College, Israel
| | - Dror Harats
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hofit Cohen
- The Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat-Gan 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Israel Hendler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 5265601, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
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23
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Papadopoulou E, Botton J, Caspersen IH, Alexander J, Eggesbø M, Haugen M, Iszatt N, Jacobsson B, Knutsen HK, Meltzer HM, Sengpiel V, Stratakis N, Vejrup K, Brantsæter AL. Maternal seafood intake during pregnancy, prenatal mercury exposure and child body mass index trajectories up to 8 years. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 50:1134-1146. [PMID: 33713119 PMCID: PMC8407875 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal seafood intake during pregnancy and prenatal mercury exposure may influence children's growth trajectories. METHODS This study, based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), includes 51 952 mother-child pairs recruited in pregnancy during 2002-08 and a subsample (n = 2277) with maternal mercury concentrations in whole blood. Individual growth trajectories were computed by modelling based on child's reported weight and length/height from 1 month to 8 years. We used linear mixed-effects regression analysis and also conducted discordant-sibling analysis. RESULTS Maternal lean fish was the main contributor to total seafood intake in pregnancy and was positively but weakly associated with child body mass index (BMI) growth trajectory. Higher prenatal mercury exposure (top decile) was associated with a reduction in child's weight growth trajectory, with the estimates ranging from -130 g [95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = -247, -12 g] at 18 months to -608 g (95% CI = -1.102, -113 g) at 8 years. Maternal fatty fish consumption was positively associated with child weight and BMI growth trajectory, but only in the higher mercury-exposed children (P-interaction = 0.045). Other seafood consumption during pregnancy was negatively associated with child weight growth compared with no intake, and this association was stronger for higher mercury-exposed children (P-interaction = 0.004). No association was observed between discordant maternal seafood intake and child growth in the sibling analysis. CONCLUSIONS Within a population with moderate seafood consumption and low mercury exposure, we found that maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy was associated with child growth trajectories, and the direction of the association varied by seafood type and level of prenatal mercury exposure. Prenatal mercury exposure was negatively associated with child growth. Our findings on maternal seafood intake are likely non-causal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jérémie Botton
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | | | - Jan Alexander
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Merete Eggesbø
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Nina Iszatt
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skoyen, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | | | - Verena Sengpiel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nikos Stratakis
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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24
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Mínguez-Alarcón L, Williams PL, Souter I, Sacha C, Amarasiriwardena CJ, Ford JB, Hauser R, Chavarro JE. Hair mercury levels, intake of omega-3 fatty acids and ovarian reserve among women attending a fertility center. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 237:113825. [PMID: 34388609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of hair mercury (Hg) levels with antral follicle count (AFC), as a marker of ovarian reserve, and evaluate whether this relationship differed among women with high vs. low total intake of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3PUFA) from foods and supplements. DESIGN We included 353 women attending an academic fertility center (2007-2019) who had data on hair Hg levels, total n3PUFA intake, and AFC. METHODS Hair Hg levels were assessed using a Direct Mercury Analyser, total n3PUFA intake was estimated using an extensively validated food frequency questionnaire, and AFC was assessed by transvaginal ultrasonography. Poisson regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to evaluate the association of hair Hg levels (divided into tertiles, and as above vs below EPA reference (1 ppm)) with AFC. Associations were also evaluated after stratification by median n3PUFA intake (≤0.124% vs. >0.125% calories/week). RESULTS Women's median hair Hg level was 0.60 ppm (range = 0.001-8.60 ppm), with more than 30% > 1 ppm (EPA reference level). Hair Hg was positively related to AFC after adjusting for age, BMI, smoking status, infertility diagnosis, and alcohol intake. However, associations became attenuated after adjustment for intake of total n3PUFA. The positive associations of hair Hg and AFC were observed only among women above the median total n3PUFA intake. Specifically, women who consumed >0.125% calories/week of total n3PUFA had mean AFCs of 11.9, 13.2 and 14.1, respectively, across increasing tertiles of hair Hg (p,trend = 0.004). Similar results were found when hair Hg was divided above vs below EPA reference (mean AFC = 12.7 vs. 14.1, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS In these women, positive associations of hair Hg with AFC may be reflective of beneficial effects of n3PUFA on ovarian reserve rather than a beneficial effect of Hg per se. Our findings highlight the importance of considering diet when exploring Hg effects on women's reproductive health in urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA; Departments of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
| | - Paige L Williams
- Departments of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Departments of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Irene Souter
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Sacha
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Jennifer B Ford
- Departments of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Departments of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Departments of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA; Departments of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Departments of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Dack K, Fell M, Taylor CM, Havdahl A, Lewis SJ. Mercury and Prenatal Growth: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7140. [PMID: 34281082 PMCID: PMC8297189 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18137140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The intrauterine environment is critical for healthy prenatal growth and affects neonatal survival and later health. Mercury is a toxic metal which can freely cross the placenta and disrupt a wide range of cellular processes. Many observational studies have investigated mercury exposure and prenatal growth, but no prior review has synthesised this evidence. Four relevant publication databases (Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus) were systematically searched to identify studies of prenatal mercury exposure and birth weight, birth length, or head circumference. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool, and results synthesised in a narrative review. Twenty-seven studies met the review criteria, these were in 17 countries and used 8 types of mercury biomarker. Studies of birth weight (total = 27) involving populations with high levels of mercury exposure, non-linear methods, or identified as high quality were more likely to report an association with mercury, but overall results were inconsistent. Most studies reported no strong evidence of association between mercury and birth length (n = 14) or head circumference (n = 14). Overall, our review did not identify strong evidence that mercury exposure leads to impaired prenatal growth, although there was some evidence of a negative association of mercury with birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Dack
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
| | - Matthew Fell
- Cleft Collective, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
| | - Caroline M. Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1NU, UK;
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0456 Oslo, Norway;
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, 0771 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah J. Lewis
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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Cleary BM, Romano ME, Chen CY, Heiger-Bernays W, Crawford KA. Comparison of Recreational Fish Consumption Advisories Across the USA. Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 8:71-88. [PMID: 33934293 PMCID: PMC8208921 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-021-00312-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Our comparative analysis sought to understand the factors which drive differences in fish consumption advisories across the USA - including exposure scenarios (acute and chronic health risk, non-cancer and cancer health endpoints), toxicity values (reference dose, cancer slope factor, acute tolerance level), and meal size and bodyweight assumptions. RECENT FINDINGS Fish consumption provides essential nutrients but also results in exposure to contaminants such as PCBs and methylmercury. To protect consumers from the risks of fish contaminants, fish consumption advisories are established, most often by state jurisdictions, to estimate the amount of a certain fish species a person could consume throughout their lifetime without harm. However, inconsistencies in advisories across the USA confuse consumers and undermine the public health goals of fish advisory programs. To date, no rigorous comparison of state and national fish consumption advisories has been reported. Our work identifies discrepancies in key assumptions used to derive risk-based advisories between US states, reflecting differences in the interpretation of toxicity science. We also address the implications for these differences by reviewing advisories issued by contiguous states bordering two waterbodies: Lake Michigan and the Lower Mississippi River. Our findings highlight the importance of regional collaboration when issuing advisories, so that consumers of self-caught fish are equipped with clear knowledge to make decisions to protect their health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan E. Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH USA
| | - Celia Y. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH USA
| | - Wendy Heiger-Bernays
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kathryn A. Crawford
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH USA
- Program in Environmental Studies, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT USA
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Saavedra S, Fernández-Recamales Á, Sayago A, Cervera-Barajas A, González-Domínguez R, Gonzalez-Sanz JD. Impact of dietary mercury intake during pregnancy on the health of neonates and children: a systematic review. Nutr Rev 2021; 80:317-328. [PMID: 33954792 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Growing evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to methyl mercury through the maternal diet could have great influence on the neurological and physical development of neonates and young children. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to evaluate the clinical repercussions of maternal exposure to methyl mercury during pregnancy on the health of fetuses, neonates, and children up to 8 years of age. DATA SOURCES The Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Dialnet Plus databases were searched for articles published in English or Spanish from 1990 to 2020. STUDY SELECTION Original articles published in English or Spanish from 1990 to 2020 were eligible for inclusion. All study designs were eligible. Animal studies were excluded. Two authors independently screened studies for inclusion. From the 971 records initially identified, 19 studies were included in the systematic review. DATA EXTRACTION PRISMA guidelines were followed. Outcomes extracted included maternal dietary exposure to methyl mercury during pregnancy, possible health repercussions in offspring up to 8 years of age, and quantitative measurement of mercury in a biological sample. All studies met the requirements established for assessing both study quality and risk of bias. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to mercury was consistently associated with lower birth weight, but only one study reported a negative association with length at birth. Higher mercury levels were also related to lower scores in various neuropsychological and developmental tests. CONCLUSION The literature shows clear evidence of the adverse effects of maternal methyl mercury exposure on anthropometric variables and cognitive or physical development in children. It is noteworthy, however, that mercury toxicity may sometimes be mitigated by other essential nutrients in the maternal diet, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Saavedra
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Ángeles Fernández-Recamales
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Ana Sayago
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio Cervera-Barajas
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Raúl González-Domínguez
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Juan D Gonzalez-Sanz
- S. Saavedra and J.D. Gonzalez-Sanz are with the Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. Á. Fernández-Recamales, A. Sayago, and R. González-Domínguez are with the AgriFood Laboratory, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; and the Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain. A. Cervera-Barajas is with the Department of Nursing, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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28
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Ramulondi M, de Wet H, Ntuli NR. Traditional food taboos and practices during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and infant care of Zulu women in northern KwaZulu-Natal. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2021; 17:15. [PMID: 33743760 PMCID: PMC7981893 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00451-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional practices and beliefs influence and support the behavior of women during pregnancy and childbirth in different parts of the world. Not much research has been conducted to examine whether and how cultural traditions continue to shape maternity experiences of Zulu women. The aim of this study is to establish the extent at which women in certain rural communities adhere to traditional food taboos and practices during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and infants feeding, in comparison to what is recommended by health care workers. METHODS A survey was conducted in the rural northern KwaZulu-Natal between 2017 and 2020. A total of 140 women between the ages of 18 and 90 years were interviewed and they were chosen purposively based on their experiences in pregnancy, postpartum recovery, infant care, and their willingness to share the knowledge. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Most (64%) of the participants said that they adhered to these cultural food taboos and practices. The most common foods avoided were certain fruits [mango, naartjie, orange, papaya, and peach], butternut, eggs, sweets (sugar, commercial juice, sweet food, and honey), chili, ice, and alcohol. The most recommended foods during pregnancy were leafy vegetables, fruits (except the avoided ones), liver, and fish. For postpartum recovery, women mostly consumed soft porridge, all fruits and vegetables, beetroot, and tea. Food not allowed for children younger than 2 years included meat, sugar and sweets, and chewable foods. CONCLUSION Differences on food taboos and practices between participants who received formal education and those who did not received it were insignificant. The beliefs about the detrimental effects of some foods were not backed up by scientific research. Restriction of some orange/yellow colored fruits during pregnancy that are rich in vitamin A and/or C may affect daily requirements of these micronutrients, and the foods recommended during pregnancy and postpartum period would not provide all the essential nutrients required for successful pregnancy. However, some of the food taboos would protect women from unhealthy eating. Our findings provide a basis for developing culturally appropriate nutritional mediation programs for Zulu women with a view to provide effective nutritional counseling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mmbulaheni Ramulondi
- Department of Botany, University of Zululand, Private bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, Richards Bay, 3886, South Africa.
| | - Helene de Wet
- Department of Botany, University of Zululand, Private bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, Richards Bay, 3886, South Africa
| | - Nontuthuko Rosemary Ntuli
- Department of Botany, University of Zululand, Private bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, Richards Bay, 3886, South Africa
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Dėdelė A, Bartkutė Ž, Chebotarova Y, Miškinytė A. The Relationship Between the Healthy Diet Index, Chronic Diseases, Obesity and Lifestyle Risk Factors Among Adults in Kaunas City, Lithuania. Front Nutr 2021; 8:599567. [PMID: 33748171 PMCID: PMC7973094 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.599567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A healthy and balanced diet is an important factor contributing to overall health and wellness. The aim of this study was to develop a Healthy Diet Index (HDI) score and assess its association with various chronic diseases and lifestyle risk factors. A cross-sectional survey included 1,111 adults aged 18 years and older. Information on dietary habits was collected using a questionnaire. Additional demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle risk factors data were also collected. Sixteen food groups were used to develop the HDI score for the residents of Kaunas city, Lithuania based on the national recommendations, World Health Organization (WHO) and other guidance on a healthy diet. We used logistic regression models to assess the association of the HDI score with chronic diseases, obesity and lifestyle risk factors. We found that both males and females were lacking the optimal consumption of the base components of a healthy diet-fruits and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, and proteins. We also observed significant associations between the HDI score and several outcomes such as hypertension, arrhythmia, physical activity, and obesity. The suggested HDI score could serve as a valuable tool in assessing and improving dietary habits beneficial for promoting health and preventing many diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Auksė Miškinytė
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
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30
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Meucci V, Armani A, Tinacci L, Guardone L, Battaglia F, Intorre L. Natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in edible and not edible tissue of farmed gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) sold on the Italian market. Food Control 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Djedjibegovic J, Marjanovic A, Tahirovic D, Caklovica K, Turalic A, Lugusic A, Omeragic E, Sober M, Caklovica F. Heavy metals in commercial fish and seafood products and risk assessment in adult population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13238. [PMID: 32764674 PMCID: PMC7411038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70205-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This work investigates the level of exposure to cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) via fish and seafood products in adult population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Metals content was determined in seven commercial species of fish and seafood products widely available and consumed in BiH. Analysis of Cd and Pb was performed by GFAAS (Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry), and analysis of Hg by FIAS AAS (flow injection cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry) in accredited laboratory for food analysis. The health risk was determined by the estimated weekly intake, hazard index, target hazard quotients, and percent of tolerable weekly intake or percent of benchmark dose lower confidence limit. Concentration above the maximum residue level (MRL) set in the European Union was found in only one sample (Hg in mackerel). Cd content was generally high in squid, approaching the corresponding MRL in two samples. The hazard index was close to 1 in bluefin tuna and mackerel, mostly due to Hg content. These two fish species should be consumed in moderation, especially by pregnant women. While consumption of various fish and seafood on average is not of significant concern, health risk could not be ruled out for high consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmina Djedjibegovic
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| | - A Marjanovic
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - D Tahirovic
- University of Sarajevo-Veterinary Faculty, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - K Caklovica
- University of Sarajevo-Veterinary Faculty, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - A Turalic
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - A Lugusic
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - E Omeragic
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - M Sober
- Department for Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Sarajevo-Faculty of Pharmacy, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - F Caklovica
- University of Sarajevo-Veterinary Faculty, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Næss S, Kjellevold M, Dahl L, Nerhus I, Midtbø LK, Bank MS, Rasinger JD, Markhus MW. Effects of seafood consumption on mercury exposure in Norwegian pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 141:105759. [PMID: 32388274 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seafood provides nutrients that are important for optimal development of the unborn child. However, seafood is also a source of contaminants including mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) that may have adverse effects on neurodevelopment of the fetus. Humans are predominantly exposed to MeHg through seafood consumption, however, levels of MeHg vary considerably between species. OBJECTIVES Investigate, in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) during pregnancy, if an increased intake of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), a fish species with relatively low levels of MeHg contamination, influences total hair Hg (THHg) concentrations in humans. METHODS Pregnant women (n = 137) were enrolled in the RCT "Mommy's Food" (2016-2017), which was designed to increase iodine status. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (400 g of cod fillets per week) or control (continued habitual diet) groups for 16 weeks (gestational week 20-36). THHg concentrations were measured at baseline and post-intervention using thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (US EPA method 7473). The trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02610959. RESULTS Post-intervention, the intervention group had median (inter-quartile range) THHg concentrations of 554 (392-805) µg/kg, and the control group 485 (341-740) µg/kg (p = 0.186). When adjusting for baseline THHg concentrations, there was a significant difference between the groups in those participants with baseline THHg concentrations below 534 µg/kg. Post-intervention, 8% of the study population exceeded the US EPA reference dose in hair (1,000 µg/kg) (intervention group: n = 6, control group: n = 4). CONCLUSION THHg concentrations were generally low in both study groups of pregnant women, despite the relatively high seafood intake. While the intervention with 400 g of cod per week slightly increased THHg concentrations, it did not lead to an increase in number of subjects exceeding the US EPA reference dose; a dose level at which no adverse effects are expected to occur over a period of lifetime exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synnøve Næss
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), 5817 Bergen, Norway.
| | | | - Lisbeth Dahl
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ive Nerhus
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Michael S Bank
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), 5817 Bergen, Norway; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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UK Internet antenatal dietary advice: a content accuracy and readability analysis. Br J Nutr 2020; 124:1061-1068. [PMID: 32536348 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114520002135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy and readability of Internet prenatal nutrition advice. Between August and December 2018, 130 Internet pages returned from Google searches on foods to avoid, foods to eat and supplements use were compared with UK government advice for pregnant women. Readability was assessed using the Flesch Readability Ease (FRE) tool. Descriptive and non-parametric tests were used. Spearman's correlation explored associations between accuracy and readability. Kruskal-Wallis tests with Bonferroni correction were used for multiple pairwise tests and Mann-Whitney U tests for two-sample differences in medians. A total of 130 Internet pages were examined: 48 % from publishers, 27 % from other commercial organisations, 22 % from charities and 3 % from governments. Eighty-three (64 %) pages contained inaccurate and accurate advice, twenty-three (18 %) were accurate and complete, twenty-one (16 %) were inaccurate, and three (2 %) lacked any relevant advice. The median percentage accuracy of all advice was 83 (lower quartile, upper quartile: 48, 100). Median FRE was 55 (46, 61) 'fairly difficult'. Eighty-seven pages (67 %) scored below the recommended FRE for public Internet pages. There was a weak positive correlation between accuracy and readability of Internet pages (rho = 0·241, P = 0·006). Accuracy of Internet pages did not differ by dietary theme. Pages on supplements were the most difficult to read. Internet pages from publishers and other commercial organisations were significantly less accurate than those from not-for-profit organisations (median percentage difference -8 (-29, 0·00), P = 0·019). Much pregnancy-related dietary advice online is inaccurate and difficult to read. Advice should be developed in consultation with qualified nutritionists and dietitians.
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Baldewsingh GK, Wickliffe JK, van Eer ED, Shankar A, Hindori-Mohangoo AD, Harville EW, Covert HH, Shi L, Lichtveld MY, Zijlmans WC. Prenatal Mercury Exposure in Pregnant Women from Suriname's Interior and Its Effects on Birth Outcomes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17114032. [PMID: 32517037 PMCID: PMC7312160 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal mercury (Hg) exposure was determined in a sub-cohort of the Caribbean Consortium for Environmental and Occupational Health’s environmental epidemiologic prospective cohort study of pregnant women living in Suriname’s interior. The associations between Hg exposure, low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g) and preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks) were explored. Correlation analysis, Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between maternal hair Hg levels and birth weight, LBW and PTB, and between potential confounders, LBW and PTB, respectively. Among 204 singleton births were 198 live births, five stillbirths and one miscarriage. The mean participant age was 26 years; 15.7% of participants had PTBs and 8.1% delivered a child with a LBW. The median hair Hg level was 3.48 μg/g hair. Low hair Hg exposure, based on lowest tertile < 2.34 μg/g, was associated with LBW (OR = 7.2; 95% CI 1.5–35.6; p = 0.015); this association was independent of maternal age, ethnic background, household income and village location, and no correlation was found between hair Hg and PTB. Young maternal age was associated with PTB (RR = 5.09, 95% CI: 1.92–13.85; p = 0.0004) while maternal age was not associated with hair Hg or LBW. The impact of prenatal Hg exposure on pediatric neurodevelopment is currently being evaluated in the infant sub-cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaitree K. Baldewsingh
- Medical Mission Primary Health Care Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jeffrey K. Wickliffe
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | | | - Arti Shankar
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Emily W. Harville
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Hannah H. Covert
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Lizheng Shi
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Maureen Y. Lichtveld
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Scientific Research Center Suriname/Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Wilco C.W.R. Zijlmans
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Scientific Research Center Suriname/Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname
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Simione M, Harshman SG, Castro I, Linnemann R, Roche B, Ajami NJ, Petrosino JF, Raspini B, Portale S, Camargo CA, Taveras EM, Hasegawa K, Fiechtner L. Maternal Fish Consumption in Pregnancy Is Associated with a Bifidobacterium-Dominant Microbiome Profile in Infants. Curr Dev Nutr 2020; 4:nzz133. [PMID: 31875205 PMCID: PMC6923185 DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzz133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
National guidelines suggest that pregnant women consume 2-3 servings of fish weekly and often focus exclusively on limiting mercury exposure. We examined if meeting this recommendation in the third trimester of pregnancy was associated with differences in infant fecal microbiota composition and diversity. We used multinomial regression to analyze data from 114 infant-mother dyads. Applying 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we identified 3 infant fecal microbiota profiles: Bifidobacterium dominant, Enterobacter dominant, and Escherichia dominant. We found that 20% of mothers met the recommended fish consumption, and those infants whose mothers met the recommendation were more likely to have a Bifidobacterium-dominant profile than an Escherichia-dominant profile (RR ratio: 4.61; 95% CI: 1.40, 15.15; P = 0.01). In multivariable models, the significant association persisted (P < 0.05). Our findings support the need to expand recommendations focusing on the beneficial effects of fish consumption on the infant fecal microbiota profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg Simione
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ines Castro
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Linnemann
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brianna Roche
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nadim J Ajami
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph F Petrosino
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Department of Molecular Virology, and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benedetta Raspini
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine-Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Laboratory, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Sandra Portale
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine-Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Laboratory, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elsie M Taveras
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kohei Hasegawa
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lauren Fiechtner
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
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Importance of n-3 PUFA consumption during pregnancy: perception discrepancies between pregnant women and gynaecologists-obstetricians in Belgium. Public Health Nutr 2019; 22:1259-1268. [PMID: 30782241 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980019000089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE n-3 PUFA during pregnancy have been subject to intense research interest, but also much controversy, creating a situation of confusion among patients and health-care providers. The present study was carried out to explore knowledge, attitude and practices regarding n-3 PUFA in two independent populations of pregnant women and gynaecologists-obstetricians in Belgium and to assess the relationship between the pregnant women's attributes and their n-3 PUFA status measured by the omega-3 index. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. Knowledge, attitude and practices were collected by self-administered questionnaires while laboratory data were available for each pregnant woman. SETTING During the first antenatal hospital appointment (for the pregnant women) and by email (for the gynaecologists-obstetricians).ParticipantsWomen in early pregnancy (n 122) and gynaecologists-obstetricians (n 67). RESULTS Marked discrepancies in perception were evidenced between the pregnant women and health-care providers. While 82 % of the women attached high importance to n-3 PUFA during pregnancy, only a third of the gynaecologists-obstetricians did. About 35 % of the women declared paying particular attention to their consumption of n-3 PUFA. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, these positive dietary practices were significantly associated with higher omega-3 index (P=0·04). Overall, 43·3 % of professionals did not provide any information about n-3 PUFA to their pregnant patients and 46·3 % did not take any preventive actions. CONCLUSIONS Evidence-based guidelines, refreshment training and communication tools are needed to improve awareness and clinical practices among caregivers regarding n-3 PUFA to benefit both mothers and their children.
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Wiseman CLS, Parnia A, Chakravartty D, Archbold J, Copes R, Cole D. Total, methyl and inorganic mercury concentrations in blood and environmental exposure sources in newcomer women in Toronto, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 169:261-271. [PMID: 30481602 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of total blood Hg (tHg), often used as a proxy for methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations, are most commonly the focus of population-based studies. Data on Hg species in biomarkers can allow for a more nuanced characterization of environmental exposure sources and risk but their availability is limited, especially for newcomer populations. The purpose of the Metals in Newcomer Women (MNW) study was to address existing data gaps on metal concentrations and exposure sources in newcomer women (19-45 years) and to examine tHg, MeHg and inorganic Hg (iHg) in the blood of East and South Asian women recently arrived to Toronto. Study participants were recruited in 2015 (n = 211). Total Hg concentrations were determined using both ICP-Q-MS and isotope dilution (ID)-SPME-GC-ICP-MS. A sample subset (n = 76) was chosen for the analysis of blood MeHg and iHg concentrations (also using ID-SPME-GC-ICP-MS). Hierarchical regression models were used to assess associations between blood tHg concentrations and environmental exposure factors for MNW participants. For the sample subset, a log-linear model was used to examine associations between blood iHg and MeHg concentrations and fish consumption patterns. The geometric mean (GM) blood tHg concentration was 1.05 µg/L (95% CI: 0.88-1.25), which was elevated compared to Canadian-born women (GM: 0.57 µg/L; 95% CI: 0.49-0.66), in a specialized data analysis of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). GM concentrations for iHg and MeHg were 0.21 µg/L (95% CI: 0.16-0.28) and 2.66 µg/L (95% CI: 2.00-3.55), respectively. Significant distal determinants associated with blood tHg concentrations were: level of educational attainment, having lived in a coastal/fishing community prior to arrival, and global region of origin. Use of iron supplements and consumption of higher mercury fish species were also associated with tHg concentrations in the fully adjusted model. The study results demonstrate that blood Hg concentrations in newcomer women are slightly elevated, with some individuals in exceedance of recommended concentrations for women of reproductive age. The consumption of fish species low in Hg is recommended for newcomer women, especially those who consume fish frequently.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L S Wiseman
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - A Parnia
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - D Chakravartty
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada
| | | | - R Copes
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada; Public Health Ontario, Canada
| | - D Cole
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada
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