Seafood ChoiCeS

Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11762.html
SUMMARY
Recommendation 14: In addition, the committee recommends more
research on useful biomarkers of contaminant exposures and more precise
quantitative characterization of the dose-response relationships between
chemical contaminants and adverse health effects, in the ranges of exposure
represented in the general US population, in order to reduce uncertainties
associated with recommendations for acceptable ranges of intake.
Designing Consumer Guidance
Recommendation 15: Research is needed to develop and evaluate more
effective communication tools for use when conveying the health benefits
and risks of seafood consumption as well as current and emerging information
to the public. These tools should be tested among different communities
and subgroups within the population and evaluated with pre- and post-test
activities.
Recommendation 16: Among federal agencies there is a need to design
and distribute better consumer advice to understand and acknowledge the
context in which the information will be used by consumers. Understanding
consumer decision-making is a prerequisite. The information provided to
consumers should be developed with recognition of the individual, environmental,
social, and economic consequences of the advice. In addition, it
is important that consistency between agencies be maintained, particularly
with regard to communication information using serving sizes.
CONCLUSION
For most of the general population, balancing benefits and risks associated
with seafood consumption to obtain nutritional and health benefits can
be achieved by selecting seafood from available options in quantities that
fall within accepted dietary guidelines. For the specific subgroups identified
by the committee, making such selections requires that consumers are
aware of both nutrients and contaminants in the seafood available and
are provided useful information on both benefits and risks to inform their
choices. The committee has put forward its interpretation of the evidence
for benefits and risks associated with seafood and considered the balance
between them. Recommendations are made to facilitate development of
appropriate consumer guidance for making seafood selections, based on
the committee’s findings, and research opportunities are identified that will
contribute to filling knowledge gaps.
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