10.01.08
The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) claims government and activist warnings about mercury levels in fish unnecessarily denied more than a quarter-million underprivileged children critical omega 3 fatty acids.
Its recently released report entitled “Tuna Meltdown,” concludes that between 2000 and 2006, 256,670 children born into U.S. households earning $30,000 or less were denied the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids because their mothers completely stopped buying canned tuna during their pregnancies.
The report suggests canned tuna is the only consistently affordable source of omega 3 fatty acids for Americans in this income bracket, as they can’t afford other fatty fish (like salmon) or non-fish omega 3 sources (like flaxseed oil).
CCF analyzed nationwide consumer food purchasing data from ACNielsen for its report, finding that 4.4 million U.S. households earning less than $30,000 per year completely stopped buying canned tuna between 2000 and 2006.
The non-profit group cites studies that indicate omega 3 consumption during pregnancy is essential for the neurological development of children in-utero and blames government and environmental groups for “overblown” and “exaggerated” warnings about trace mercury levels in fish.
As a result, CCF claims more than a quarter-million underprivileged children were born at risk of having abnormally low IQs during this seven-year period.
“Green groups and the federal government have a lot of explaining to do,” said David Martosko, CCF Research Director. “For years, we’ve been hearing their doomsday warnings about mercury, when we should have been hearing about the health benefits of omega 3s in fish. Women who stopped eating canned tuna during their pregnancies should be outraged.”
The report comes on the heels of new data presented by FDA at the recent annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection. According to FDA, the average pregnant woman in the U.S. consumes less than two ounces of fish per week. FDA concluded “most women could increase their fish consumption substantially and remain within the FDA-EPA advisory recommendation.”
“How can the government justify issuing fish warnings when its own data show pregnant women aren’t eating nearly enough fish as it is?” Mr. Martosko continued. “The FDA and EPA must revise their outdated advisory before hundreds of thousands more children are born at risk of an intellectual disadvantage. And it’s time to demand that green groups put away their alarmist calculators and mercury wallet cards, and start putting our children’s interests ahead of their own.”
Its recently released report entitled “Tuna Meltdown,” concludes that between 2000 and 2006, 256,670 children born into U.S. households earning $30,000 or less were denied the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids because their mothers completely stopped buying canned tuna during their pregnancies.
The report suggests canned tuna is the only consistently affordable source of omega 3 fatty acids for Americans in this income bracket, as they can’t afford other fatty fish (like salmon) or non-fish omega 3 sources (like flaxseed oil).
CCF analyzed nationwide consumer food purchasing data from ACNielsen for its report, finding that 4.4 million U.S. households earning less than $30,000 per year completely stopped buying canned tuna between 2000 and 2006.
The non-profit group cites studies that indicate omega 3 consumption during pregnancy is essential for the neurological development of children in-utero and blames government and environmental groups for “overblown” and “exaggerated” warnings about trace mercury levels in fish.
As a result, CCF claims more than a quarter-million underprivileged children were born at risk of having abnormally low IQs during this seven-year period.
“Green groups and the federal government have a lot of explaining to do,” said David Martosko, CCF Research Director. “For years, we’ve been hearing their doomsday warnings about mercury, when we should have been hearing about the health benefits of omega 3s in fish. Women who stopped eating canned tuna during their pregnancies should be outraged.”
The report comes on the heels of new data presented by FDA at the recent annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection. According to FDA, the average pregnant woman in the U.S. consumes less than two ounces of fish per week. FDA concluded “most women could increase their fish consumption substantially and remain within the FDA-EPA advisory recommendation.”
“How can the government justify issuing fish warnings when its own data show pregnant women aren’t eating nearly enough fish as it is?” Mr. Martosko continued. “The FDA and EPA must revise their outdated advisory before hundreds of thousands more children are born at risk of an intellectual disadvantage. And it’s time to demand that green groups put away their alarmist calculators and mercury wallet cards, and start putting our children’s interests ahead of their own.”