Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 18:11:30 -0800 (PST)

Dioxin levels in breast milk higher with fat consumption

December 29, 2000

Web posted at: 10:28 AM EST (1528 GMT)

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Dioxin levels in breast milk are higher among women who eat meat often, according to a Japanese government survey published Friday.

Dioxin, an industrial byproduct created by car emissions and the burning of waste, has been linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems. Concern over the amount of dioxin in the air has been on the rise in Japan.

The Health and Welfare Ministry findings were based on an analysis of the breast milk taken from 487 women across Japan from 1997 to 1998, the Asahi newspaper reported.

Ministry officials were unavailable for comment Friday, a year-end holiday.

Dioxin levels rose with the frequency with which women consumed ham, cow milk, dried sardines and eel, the survey said. It found no relation between the dioxin levels and whether the woman was a smoker.

The survey also found no relation between emission levels of dioxin from a waste facility and dioxin levels in breast milk.

Japanese media have reported that dioxin levels in breast milk appear to rise if the mother lives near waste incinerators.

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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