The study linked it to how much fish they eat, and the rates are more pronounced among Asians, women, and higher-income New Yorkers who eat more fish.
People especially at risk of mercury content in their blood include children under 6 years old and women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. This group has been advised to avoid fish with high mercury contents because of concerns that it increases the risk of cognitive problems in children.
For rest of the adult population, mercury doesn't really pose a high level of risk.
"It's not bad for the average adult who isn't reproducing. For a brief period of life, during pregnancy, while breast-feeding, it would be best to keep mercury levels down." Daniel Kass, assistant commissioner for environmental surveillance and policy at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said to an AP reporter.
According to an information brochure released by the health department, pregnant and breast-feeding women should be careful while selecting the types of fish and go for the ones who have the lowest mercury counts and can be eaten more often. Such fish include tilapia, herring or whiting up to five times per week because those fish are very low in mercury, based on an adult serving size of 6 ounces.
However, pregnant and breast feeding mothers are advised to completely avoid Chilean sea bass, swordfish or fresh tuna, which are too high in mercury, it said.
