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[Blood lead level and related risk factors among children aged 0-6 years in Beijing]
Xin-Xin Chen1, Hong-Hong Teng, Feng-Zhi Wang
1Beijing Maternal and Child Hospital, Beijing 100006, China.
Insights
Beijing children aged 0-6 years show high blood lead levels, with 35.7% exceeding 100 µg/L. Key risk factors include not drinking milk and living near highways, necessitating targeted interventions for child lead poisoning prevention.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Toxicology
- Public Health Surveillance
Context:
- Childhood lead exposure is a significant public health concern globally.
- Beijing, as a major urban center, faces unique environmental challenges impacting child health.
- Understanding local prevalence and risk factors is crucial for effective public health strategies.
Purpose:
- To assess blood lead levels (BLLs) in children aged 0-6 years in Beijing.
- To identify key risk factors associated with elevated BLLs in this population.
- To inform public health interventions for preventing and managing childhood lead poisoning.
Summary:
- A study of 2,262 children (0-6 years) in Beijing revealed a mean BLL of 96.8 µg/L, with 35.7% exceeding 100 µg/L.
- Lead poisoning was more prevalent in rural children, 2-year-olds, and boys.
- Risk factors included infrequent milk consumption, proximity to highways (<50m), and ground-floor/bungalow living.
Impact:
- Findings highlight a substantial public health problem regarding elevated BLLs in Beijing children.
- The study underscores the need for targeted interventions and policy attention to prevent childhood lead exposure.
- Recommendations include focusing on high-risk groups and environmental factors to mitigate lead poisoning.
Objective:
To observe blood lead level and related risk factors among children of 0 - 6-year old in Beijing.
Methods:
Stratified-clustered-random sampling and simple random sampling were used. A total of 2 262 children of 0 - 6 years old were investigated from May to July 2001. They were permanent residents in Beijing. Blood lead level was tested by graphite atomizer absorption spectrophotometer. At the same time, related factors were investigated using a standardized questionnaire.
Results:
The mean lead level of children in Beijing was 96.8 micro g/L with 35.7% of those >/= 100 micro g/L, and 2.5% >/= 200 micro g/L. The proportion of lead poisoning was significantly higher in rural children (P < 0.01). The proportion of lead poisoning in 2-year-old group was higher than that in other age groups. The proportion of lead poisoning in boys was significantly higher than that in girls (P < 0.01). The following factors might serve as major risk factors related to child lead poisoning, such as, never or rarely drinking milk, living in nearby highways (less than 50 meters) or living in the first floor/bungalow, and so on.
Conclusion:
The blood lead level of >/= 100 micro g/L among Beijing children appeared to be a big problem. Decision-makers should pay more attention to prevent blood lead level being high, and to cure these children who suffered in lead poisoning. Effective intervention measures on these target populations should be taken.