| Adult Women's Blood Mercury Concentrations Vary Regionally in the United States: Association with Patterns of Fish Consumption
(NHANES 1999–2004) Kathryn R. Mahaffey,1 Robert P. Clickner,2 and Rebecca A. Jeffries2 1Office of Science Coordination and Policy, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA; 2Westat, Rockville, Maryland, USA Abstract
Background: The current, continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has included blood mercury (BHg) and fish/shellfish consumption since it began in 1999. NHANES 1999–2004 data form the basis for these analyses. Objectives: This study was designed to determine BHg distributions within U.S. Census regions and within coastal and noncoastal areas among women of childbearing age, their association with patterns of fish consumption, and changes from 1999 through 2004. Methods: We performed univariate and bivariate analyses to determine the distribution of BHg and fish consumption in the population and to investigate differences by geography, race/ethnicity, and income. We used multivariate analysis (regression) to determine the strongest predictors of BHg among geography, demographic factors, and fish consumption. Results: Elevated BHg occurred more commonly among women of childbearing age living in coastal areas of the United States (approximately one in six women) . Regionally, exposures differ across the United States: Northeast > South and West > Midwest. Asian women and women with higher income ate more fish and had higher BHg. Time-trend analyses identified reduced BHg and reduced intake of Hg in the upper percentiles without an overall reduction of fish consumption. Conclusions: BHg is associated with income, ethnicity, residence (census region and coastal proximity) . From 1999 through 2004, BHg decreased without a concomitant decrease in fish consumption. Data are consistent with a shift over this time period in fish species in women’s diets. Key words: blood, coastal, fish, mercury, NHANES, regional. Environ Health Perspect 117:47–53 (2009) . doi:10.1289/ehp.11674 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 25 August 2008]
Address correspondence to K.R. Mahaffey, RW 3514, Westat, 1650 Research Blvd., Rockville, MD 20850 USA. Telephone: (301) 279-4520. Fax: (301) 294-2829. E-mail: KathrynMahaffey@westat.com Supplemental Material is available online at http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/11674/suppl.pdf The authors acknowledge with appreciation the input of several colleagues during the development of the manuscript: Y. Aoki, E. Brown, L. Phillips, R. Schoeny, and E. Sunderland [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ] ; C. Rogers [National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Research Data Center] ; and L. Curtin and M. McDowell (NCHS) . The views presented are the professional opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. EPA. The analyses of data were accomplished under U.S. EPA purchase order EPO5W003227. All authors took part in the analysis of data and in writing the report. R.P.C. and R.A.J. were responsible for the statistical calculations. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 7 May 2008 ; accepted 25 August 2008.
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