Are women anglers of childbearing age in the Great Lakes region following fish consumption guidelines?

Abstract

States in the Great Lakes region of the United States issue fish consumption guidelines for women of childbearing age (WCBA) to help them minimize the health risks to themselves and their potential offspring from eating fish contaminated with chemicals. We used diary methods to study 1395 WCBA who purchased fishing licenses in the Great Lakes coastal region to determine if they were aware of the guidelines and following them. We found that two-thirds of WCBA reported at least minimal awareness of the fish consumption guidelines, and those that reported awareness were more likely to hold beliefs consistent with the messages emphasized in the guidelines. WCBA reported eating less than one meal/week of fish with most of this fish purchased at a store or restaurant. On average, they consumed just 2.4 sport-caught fish meals over the 16-week study period. The average portion size for sport-caught fish meals eaten by WCBA was similar to that assumed by states when determining the guidelines. However, one-quarter of WCBA in the overall sample exceeded the guidelines, with rates as high as 41% exceeding the guidelines in Michigan and Minnesota. Additional outreach efforts may be needed to increase compliance with fish consumption guidelines, particularly among subpopulations that exceed the guidelines more frequently.