title: Public health benefits and risks of fish consumption: current scientific evidence v. media coverage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if and how the current degree of scientific uncertainty about the safety of fish consumption is incorporated at the media level.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a dedicated software (TalTac®) to investigate the content of 169 news articles related to ‘mercury and fish consumption’ that appeared from 1990 to 2010 in the two Italian broadsheets with the highest circulation figures, in order to identify journalistic frames used in the coverage of benefits v. risks associated with fish consumption. Hypotheses were made on how the public might change fish consumption patterns as a result of media coverage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Italy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two newspapers have different agendas in covering the issue. La Repubblica appears to support the view that, besides health benefits, there may be risks associated with fish consumption, while Corriere della Sera emphasizes health benefits more than possible risks. Depending on the preferred information source, the public could: (i) reduce its fish intake; (ii) increase its fish intake; or (iii) become confused about the problem and sceptical towards the media, as a result of conflicting journalistic frames.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Italian media, in cooperation with scientists, public health nutritionists and dietitians, should place more emphasis on the existence of a few fish species with high to very high Hg levels and relatively low contents of beneficial n-3 fatty acids (e.g. swordfish and shark). This would enable consumers to make more educated purchasing decisions to maximize the benefits of n-3 intake while reducing possible risks from consuming Hg-contaminated fish.
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Insubria University, Varese, Italy. federico.pasquare@uninsubria.it
authors.forename: Federico A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Pasquaré
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bettinetti
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: Davide A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Vignati
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006293:Health Promotion; D007558:Italy; D008402:Mass Media; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008628:Mercury