Dependence of blood indices of selenium and mercury on estimated fish intake in a national survey of British adults.
OBJECTIVE
Contributions of fish and other foods to variance of selenium and mercury status were studied in British adults.


METHODS
Plasma and red-cell selenium and whole-blood mercury concentrations were measured during the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Adults aged 19-64 years in mainland Britain, 2000-2001 (n = 1216). Food intake was weighed for seven consecutive days, and foods were combined in groups for data analysis. Four subsidiary groups characterised fish intakes: fried white fish, 'other' white fish, shellfish and oily fish.


RESULTS
Geometric means and 5-95% ranges were: for whole-blood mercury, 5.61 (1.30-22.2) nmol l(-1); for plasma selenium, 1.09 (0.83-1.43) micromol l(-1); for red-cell selenium, 1.64 (1.14-2.40) micromol l(-1). Twenty-eight per cent had no fish intake recorded during 7 days; the remaining 72% had a median intake of 237 g over the 7-day period, 5-95% range 45-780 g. Total fish intake was strongly and directly correlated with blood mercury, and moderately with red-cell and plasma selenium. Thus, sqrt(total fish intake) was correlated with: loge(blood Hg), t = +19.7; loge(plasma Se), t = +9.8; and loge(red-cell Se), t = +9.6, all P < 0.0001. All three biochemical (mercury and selenium) indices were strongly correlated with oily fish intake, and moderately correlated with shellfish and 'other' ( = non-fried) white fish, but none was significantly correlated with fried white fish. Blood mercury was strongly and directly correlated with red-cell and plasma selenium, and both increased with age.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary fish, especially oily fish, is a strong predictor of blood mercury and selenium in British adults.
Bates
Christopher J
CJ
MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge CB1 9NL, UK. Chris.Bates@mrc-hnr.cam.ac.uk
Prentice
Ann
A
Birch
Maureen C
MC
Delves
H Trevor
HT
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D017747:Seafood; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D006113:United Kingdom
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium