Maternal recall of children's consumption of commercial and sport-caught fish: Findings from a multi-state study

A randomized telephone survey of 3015 women was conducted in an effort to assess the effectiveness of local sport-fish consumption advisories. Survey participants were between the ages of 18 and 45 and lived in the states of Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. At the time of the women's interview, fish and shellfish consumption information was obtained for children under 18 years of age living in the household. One child (aged 2–17) from each household (1852) was randomly selected to evaluate fish consumption among children. Based on maternal recall, 84% of these children had consumed fish or shellfish at least once during the previous 12 months. This percentage ranged from 73% in New Jersey to 94% in Louisiana and was higher among children who lived with a licensed angler compared to those who did not. Eight percent of the children ate fish and/or shellfish more than twice a week. Of the total number of fish and shellfish meals eaten by children, 67% was commercial finfish, 22% was shellfish, and 11% was sport-caught finfish. Among those who ate fish, the average consumption rate was 47 meals per year–slightly less than one meal per week. This consumption frequency rate varied by state of residence ranging from 37 meals per year in Montana and Wisconsin to 62 in Florida. Because of these regional differences, the use of national average fish consumption rates may over- or under-estimate consumption in localized areas. This survey suggests that targeting information to women who eat fish may also protect children; more than 80% of children have fish consumption patterns that are similar to that of their mothers. Additional research and biomonitoring is needed to improve our understanding of the risk and benefits associated with childhood consumption of fish and shellfish.