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Dr. Kim Mulvihill ReportingThere's been a lot of confusion about how much fish is safe to eat, especially for kids and pregnant women. Fish can prevent heart attacks, but there are also concerns about PCBs, Dioxins and Mercury.
The government says its message is consistent, but it's also complex. The government says eating fish is safe, but admits consumers are confused.
Anne Forristall Luke, US Tuna Foundation: "They don't know what messages are meant for them and they hear a lot of things that scare them about fish consumption."
The institute of medicine found Americans -- even children and pregnant women -- can safely eat two servings a week to prevent heart disease. White tuna is especially helpful. Harvard researchers found fish can cut your risk of dying from heart disease by more than a third.
Dariush Mozaffarian, Harvard Researcher: "IF you eat a little bit, up to about two grams per week of the fish oil, you get most of the benefit. So you don't need to eat five, 10 servings a week to get the benefit."
Harvard researchers found the cancer risk from dioxins and PCB's almost negligible, but they couldn't confirm or deny the dangers of mercury. So the government says pregnant women and children should avoid high-mercury fish, such as shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackarel.
But how do you get that message out?
Malden Nesheim, Institute of Medicine: "We need to find various ways of informing consumers and test these to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to be doing, and don't confuse but they educate."
One environmental group criticizes the IOM report as biased toward the fish industry and too complicated for consumers.
Jackie Savitz, "Oceana" Environmental Group: "They need simple advice at the seafood counter. We're moving in that direction with the grocery stores."
That is ultimately where many of these health decisions are made. The FDA is doing a separate study on the dangers of mercury in fish and expects those results soon.
