Fish consumption and the elderly: Implications for fish consumption advisories

This article discusses literature and an empirical study in Michigan related to the possibility that the elderly may be a group within the general population of sport anglers that needs special attention in fish consumption advisories. Levels of fish consumption by the elderly (reviewed from literature) were not found to be conclusively determined. There is strong research support for the hypothesis that prescription drug chemicals are retained and biomagnified in the elderly; this finding may be indirect evidence that this is the case for environmental toxins as well. However, further research is needed on both these dimensions. The empirical study reported here found that the elderly are more aware of specific advisory information than younger sport anglers but that behaviorally they do not respond as well as younger groups to advisories that recommend trimming fat. Combined with the possibility for increased toxic chemical retention in the elderly, this finding suggests that intensifying targeted communication of advisories to the elderly may be indicated.