Demographic Profiles, Mercury, Selenium, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Avid Seafood Consumers on Long Island, NY

Seafood consumption is known to confer nutritional benefits and risks from contaminant exposure. Avid seafood consumers are neither well-characterized with regard to their demographic profile nor their underlying risk–benefit profile. Contaminants [e.g., mercury (Hg)] and nutrients [e.g., selenium (Se), omega-3 fatty acids] are prevalent in some seafood. Participants (N = 285) recruited on Long Island, NY, completed food frequency and health questionnaires and received blood draws analyzed for Hg, omega-3s, and Se. Participants were categorized based on frequency and type of seafood consumption. Logistic regression analyses evaluated relationships between seafood consumption and demographics, and were age- and sex-adjusted. t tests assessed relationships between seafood consumption patterns and biomarkers Hg, omega-3s, and Se. Consumption of both tuna and salmon was associated with older age: those aged 55–75 and over 75 years old were more likely than participants aged 18–34 to eat tuna and salmon (OR 2.27; 95 % CI 1.05, 4.89 and OR 3.67; 95 % CI 1.20, 11.20, respectively). Males were less likely than females to eat fish other than tuna or salmon (OR 0.58; 95 % CI 0.34, 0.97). Caucasians were more likely to consume tuna (OR 0.31; 95 % CI 0.10, 0.96) or salmon and tuna (OR 0.34; 95 % CI 0.12, 0.91), while non-Caucasians were more likely to consume other fish types (OR 2.73; 95 % CI 1.45, 5.12). Total blood Hg was associated with weekly consumption of any type of fish ( p = 0.01) and with salmon and tuna consumption ( p = 0.01). Salmon was associated with plasma omega-3s ( p = 0.01). Se was not associated with fish intake categories. Risk communicators can use these findings to influence seafood preferences of different demographic groups.