Correlations of Biomarkers and Self-Reported Seafood Consumption among Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women in Southeastern Louisiana after the Gulf Oil Spill: The GROWH Study

Abstract

Seafood contains health-promoting fatty acids, but is often contaminated with mercury (Hg), complicating recommendations and choices around fish consumption during pregnancy. Self-reported diet may be subject to inaccuracy and this inaccuracy could differ according to pregnancy status. We investigated correlations between self-reported seafood consumption and blood levels of Hg and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in women affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated comparing log blood Hg and n-3 PUFAs to seafood consumption, then stratified by pregnancy status. Crude and adjusted linear regression models were constructed using biomarkers of Hg and n-3 PUFA and seafood consumption, adjusting for age and pregnancy status. Weak but significant correlations were found between log Hg levels and intake of Hg-containing seafood (r = 0.15) and were slightly stronger among pregnant women (r = 0.22, vs. r = 0.10). Biomarkers for n-3 PUFAs were significantly correlated with seafood consumption (r = 0.12). Hg-containing seafood consumption was associated with increased blood level Hg in the highest quartile in both unadjusted (β = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15–0.53) and adjusted models (β = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.08–0.48). Self-reported seafood consumption was correlated with biomarkers of both n-3 PUFA and Hg, but this association was different when stratified by pregnancy status. Pregnant women may have better recall of Hg-containing seafood compared to nonpregnant women.

Consumption of Fish and Shrimp from Southeast Louisiana Poses No Unacceptable Lifetime Cancer Risks Attributable to High‐Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

“…Following the DWH accident, a community‐based participatory research project was initiated primarily based on the concerns of local and regional fisherfolk and consumers that the finfish and shellfish (primarily shrimp) they harvest, sell, and/or consume might be unsafe for consumption (Simon‐Friedt et al., ; Wickliffe et al., ; Wilson et al., ; Zilversmit, Wickliffe, Shankar, Taylor, & Harville, ). While extensive analytical testing of finfish and shellfish was being conducted during and after the spill, there were questions about where the samples were being collected from for testing and who was doing the actual analytical testing (Simon‐Friedt et al., ; Wilson et al., ).…”

Mercury Levels in Women and Children from Interior Villages in Suriname, South America

“…A description of the research participants from Louisiana (LA) can be found in Zilversmit et al [ 24 ]. Data from these participants is included and important for comparative purposes.…”

“…Exposure to mercury in any general, non-occupational population occurs mainly through the diet, and in many cases, through the consumption of fish [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. The consumption of fish on a global scale is widespread, and fish is viewed as a healthy low-fat source of protein and dietary fatty acids [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

“…Heavy fish consumers, especially women who may become pregnant, or pregnant women along with their developing children, are at most risk from exposure to methylmercury. Women and children in coastal areas, where fish and seafood are major sources of food, as well as inland areas, where bodies of water provide an abundant supply of fish for personal consumption and commercial purposes, are expected to experience the highest exposures to methylmercury from fish consumption [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 24 , 29 , 42 ]. This is especially true where consumed or preferred fish are predatory piscivores and occupy higher trophic levels [ 21 , 37 ].…”

“…Since many communities and villages in the interior of Suriname rely heavily on local finfish as part of their diet, hair mercury levels have been determined in women and children from several different sites. We have also estimated blood mercury levels using a well-established method to facilitate comparison to our biomonitoring program targeting coastal women in southeast Louisiana (LA), as well as data from the US Centers for Disease Control (USCDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [ 23 , 24 , 40 , 44 , 45 ]. We also provide results in the context of well-established action levels used in the United States and by the WHO for intervention purposes.…”