Regional Center for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, NORCE Norwegian Research Center, Bergen, Norway.
Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
Environ Int. 2018 Dec;121(Pt 2):1098-1105. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.022. Epub 2018 Oct 22.
The toxic effects of prenatal methylmercury (MeHg) include neurological abnormalities and developmental delay of which infants and children are particular susceptible. Studies on the effects of low and moderate exposure show conflicting results. Seafood is the main dietary source of MeHg, but also contributes with nutrients regarded as beneficial for development.
To measure the change in total hair mercury concentration (THHg) after an intervention of lunch meals with fatty fish or meat in Norwegian preschool children, and to examine the associations between THHg and cognitive function.
Children (n = 232) 4-6 years old were randomized to lunch meals with fatty fish (n = 114) or meat (n = 118) three times a week for 16 weeks. THHg was determined using a Direct Mercury Analyzer, and cognitive function was assessed by the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Intelligence Scale-III (WPPSI-III) pre- and post-intervention. Linear mixed effect models were used to analyze changes in THHg and WPPSI-III scores.
The mean (SD) THHg pre-intervention was 0.373 (0.204) mg kg. Children in the fish group had an increase in THHg (change 0.162, 95% CI 0.111, 0.213 mg kg), whereas children in the meat group had decreased THHg (-0.053, 95% CI -0.103, -0.002 mg kg). There were no notable associations between THHg and the WPPSI-III raw scores at baseline or after 16 weeks of the fish/meat intervention.
Lunch meals including fatty fish led to a significant increase in THHg, but the values remain below the point of departures used for risk assessment by the EFSA, WHO and US-EPA. We observed no associations between THHg and cognitive function.
产前甲基汞（MeHg）的毒性作用包括神经异常和发育迟缓，婴儿和儿童尤其易受影响。关于低、中度暴露的研究结果存在冲突。海鲜是 MeHg 的主要饮食来源，但也提供了被认为对发育有益的营养物质。
测量挪威学龄前儿童午餐食用高脂肪鱼类或肉类后总发汞浓度（THHg）的变化，并检验 THHg 与认知功能之间的关联。
将 4-6 岁的儿童（n=232）随机分为三组，每周 3 次午餐食用高脂肪鱼类（n=114）、低脂肪鱼类（n=118）或肉类（n=118），持续 16 周。使用直接汞分析仪测定 THHg，采用韦氏学前和小学智力量表-III（WPPSI-III）在干预前后评估认知功能。采用线性混合效应模型分析 THHg 和 WPPSI-III 评分的变化。
干预前，THHg 的平均值（标准差）为 0.373（0.204）mg/kg。食用鱼类的儿童 THHg 增加（变化 0.162，95%CI 0.111，0.213 mg/kg），而食用肉类的儿童 THHg 减少（-0.053，95%CI -0.103，-0.002 mg/kg）。THHg 与基线或 16 周后鱼类/肉类干预的 WPPSI-III 原始分数之间无显著关联。
午餐食用高脂肪鱼类可导致 THHg 显著增加，但仍低于 EFSA、世界卫生组织和美国环境保护署用于风险评估的起点值。我们观察到 THHg 与认知功能之间无关联。
