03.01.09
Nutrients found in fish outweigh the potential risk of mercury exposure, according to an FDA draft report, which urges the government to revise its current health recommendations. FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a joint advisory in 2004, suggesting that women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants and children limit consumption of fish considered especially high in mercury (e.g., swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel). The report states that omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and other minerals found in fish could boost a child’s IQ by three points, with the greatest potential benefit coming from eating more than 12 oz. of fish per week, which is the current recommended limit. However, according to The Washington Post, EPA has criticized the document’s proposal, which was sent in draft to the White House Office of Management and Budget.