Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Dietary intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds in relation to low birthweight

Rylander, L LU orcid ; Strömberg, U LU and Hagmar, L LU (1996) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 22(4). p.6-260
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the hypothesized association between persistent organochlorine compounds through the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea (at the Swedish east coast) and low birthweight.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the period 1973-1991, 72 cases of low birthweight (1500-2750 g) were selected from among infants born to fishermen's wives within a cohort from the Swedish east coast. For each case two referents were selected. The mothers were interviewed about their dietary and smoking habits and place of living during childhood and adolescence.

RESULTS: A high total current intake of fish from the Baltic Sea (> or = 4 meals per month) tended to increase the risk of having an... (More)

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the hypothesized association between persistent organochlorine compounds through the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea (at the Swedish east coast) and low birthweight.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the period 1973-1991, 72 cases of low birthweight (1500-2750 g) were selected from among infants born to fishermen's wives within a cohort from the Swedish east coast. For each case two referents were selected. The mothers were interviewed about their dietary and smoking habits and place of living during childhood and adolescence.

RESULTS: A high total current intake of fish from the Baltic Sea (> or = 4 meals per month) tended to increase the risk of having an infant with low birthweight [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.9, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.9-3.9]. The effect was more conspicuous for the boys (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.1-11). No such effects were observed when the estimated intake of fish was considered for the period in which the infant was born. However, mothers who had grown up in a fishing village had an increased risk of having an infant with low birthweight (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.3).

CONCLUSIONS: The variable "grown up in a fishing village" can be interpreted as an indirect measure of a mother's accumulated consumption of fish from the Baltic Sea. This idea supports an association between a high consumption of contaminated fish from the Baltic Sea and an increased risk for low birthweight. The effect estimates based on the mothers' reported fish consumptions were dependent on the period under consideration and therefore were somewhat ambiguous.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adult, Animals, Benzofurans/adverse effects, DDT/adverse effects, Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated, Diet Records, Feeding Behavior, Female, Fetal Growth Retardation/chemically induced, Fishes, Food Contamination/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Polychlorinated Biphenyls/adverse effects, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Sweden, Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects
in
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
volume
22
issue
4
pages
7 pages
publisher
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
external identifiers
  • pmid:8881014
  • scopus:0029842807
ISSN
0355-3140
DOI
10.5271/sjweh.140
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
2cb96299-5778-4b9c-b3e6-ff7ee05c7681
date added to LUP
2018-08-27 13:49:01
date last changed
2024-05-27 15:26:12
@article{2cb96299-5778-4b9c-b3e6-ff7ee05c7681,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the hypothesized association between persistent organochlorine compounds through the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea (at the Swedish east coast) and low birthweight.</p><p>MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the period 1973-1991, 72 cases of low birthweight (1500-2750 g) were selected from among infants born to fishermen's wives within a cohort from the Swedish east coast. For each case two referents were selected. The mothers were interviewed about their dietary and smoking habits and place of living during childhood and adolescence.</p><p>RESULTS: A high total current intake of fish from the Baltic Sea (&gt; or = 4 meals per month) tended to increase the risk of having an infant with low birthweight [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.9, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.9-3.9]. The effect was more conspicuous for the boys (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.1-11). No such effects were observed when the estimated intake of fish was considered for the period in which the infant was born. However, mothers who had grown up in a fishing village had an increased risk of having an infant with low birthweight (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.3).</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The variable "grown up in a fishing village" can be interpreted as an indirect measure of a mother's accumulated consumption of fish from the Baltic Sea. This idea supports an association between a high consumption of contaminated fish from the Baltic Sea and an increased risk for low birthweight. The effect estimates based on the mothers' reported fish consumptions were dependent on the period under consideration and therefore were somewhat ambiguous.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rylander, L and Strömberg, U and Hagmar, L}},
  issn         = {{0355-3140}},
  keywords     = {{Adult; Animals; Benzofurans/adverse effects; DDT/adverse effects; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Diet Records; Feeding Behavior; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation/chemically induced; Fishes; Food Contamination/statistics & numerical data; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Polychlorinated Biphenyls/adverse effects; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; Sweden; Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{6--260}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
  title        = {{Dietary intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds in relation to low birthweight}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.140}},
  doi          = {{10.5271/sjweh.140}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{1996}},
}