Seafood & Health Conference Wraps Up; Overwhelming Scientific Evidence Shows Why Americans Should Eat Two Servings of Fish and Shellfish Every Week

December 12, 2005

Release from:
NOAA

Many of the world's leading scientists, academics and dietitians met in Washington, DC, this week to discuss the relationship between seafood and health. Sponsors of the conference included NOAA and the governments of Norway, Canada and Iceland. Citing a growing body of research on the relationship between seafood consumption and human health, scientists and healthcare professionals this week said that eating seafood reduces risk for sudden death due to heart disease – the primary killer of Americans – by up to 90 percent. Eating just a small amount of seafood per day that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as shrimp, canned tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish can cut the risk of death due to coronary heart disease by 20 percent. Click here for a summary of these findings.

Americans should eat two seafood meals per week that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This recommendation is included in USDA's 2005 dietary guidelines and is being reiterated by NOAA. Pregnant and nursing women, and children, are advised to follow these guidelines as well, while avoiding five species that are high in mercury. Click here for more information on these findings.

For more information, visit: http://www.seafoodandhealth.org.