To investigate the contamination and health risks of heavy metals in edible marine shellfishes from China.Methods Statistical characteristics of the concentrations of six metals, i.e., Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg, in the edible shellfishes from China offshore waters were investigated, and their health risks were assessed using the target hazard quotient model recommended by US EPA, based on the available information regarding the metal concentrations reported in published literatures. Results The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that all the six metals had skewed concentration distributions. The average contents of Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg did not exceed the food standards. In this study, several independent samples tests showed that the concentrations of As, Cu and Cd were significantly different (P>0.05) among oyster, short necked clam, razor clam and mussel. In these four shellfishes, oyster had the highest levels of Cu and Cd, and razor clam had the highest level of As. No significant differences were observed for other three metals. In the Pearl River Estuary, Fujian coastal waters, the Yangtze River estuary-Zhejiang coastal waters, Shandong coastal waters and Bohai Bay, the non-carcinogenic risk levels from exposure to individual shellfish metal (including Cu, Pb, Cr, and Hg) were separately acceptable. However, the health risks from exposure to Cd in some shellfishes from Fujian coastal waters, Shandong coastal waters and Bohai Bay, and from exposure to As in some shellfishes from Fujian coastal waters, exceeded the acceptable levels. Although the health risk levels from exposure to multiple metals in shellfishes from Fujian coastal waters, Shandong coastal waters and Bohai Bay were unacceptable for children, the non-carcinogenic risks from six metals in other waters were within the safe level. The findings suggested that Cd and As were the key contributors to health risk from exposure to shellfish metals.Conclusion In China coastal waters, the concentrations of Cu, Cd and Cr in some shellfishes exceeded the food standard. The health risks from Cd and As were unacceptable in some shellfishes in some area, respectively. In this study, no serious heavy metal pollutions were found in the edible marine shellfishes, but the risk of multiple metals exposure in the shellfishes should be of concern.