A popular school lunch item could pose a threat on your
child’s health according to a new report from the Mercury Policy Project. The
study says kids should only consume light tuna once or twice a month to avoid
high mercury intake levels.
Author of the recent study, Dr. Edward Groth recommends
children who weigh less than 55 pounds are only to eat tuna once a month, while
kids weighing over 55 can eat it twice.
The chemical has been linked to possible health risks to the
development of kids, similar to the harms of fetuses that have come in contact
to the chemical.
Store bought canned tuna is the most common source of
mercury in our diet. White and albacore, in particular, should not be eaten at
all by children because it is found to have triple the amount of mercury as
light tuna.
Pregnant woman, nursing mothers and young children are
strongly advised to limit their intake of tuna because of mercury levels found
in canned fish. Instead they should opt for lower mercury fish that are still
rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Board Certified toxicologists,
Dr. Marland Dulaney recommends going with fish and seafood that has less
mercury including shrimp, salmon and cat fish.
The father of five raises his
concern about pregnant women and children eating large amounts of tuna.
“You want to be careful in what
is called susceptible populations which include pregnant woman, newborns and
young children because methyl mercury has been show to interfere with the
nervous system…babies nursing, methyl mercury can pass into the milk to the
baby,” he said.
Dulaney encourages fishers and consumers to make certain where they fish is, is not in an area that has a local advisory. He also says to ask your local seafood market questions and keep up with the news.