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Updated: Apr 4, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Detectable Blood Lead Level and Body Size in Early Childhood
Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow1,2, Suzanne Havstad3,4, Niladri Basu5,6
1Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA. acassid1@hfhs.org.
Insights
Children with detectable blood lead levels (BLLs) had a lower risk of being overweight or obese. This inverse association between lead exposure and body size was observed in early childhood, suggesting potential appetite suppression mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
Background:
- Childhood obesity rates are rising while blood lead levels (BLLs) are declining.
- Previous studies indicate an inverse relationship between BLLs and body size in older children.
- Research on this association in very early childhood is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between detectable blood lead levels (BLLs) and body size in early childhood (ages 2-3 years).
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 299 children had their body mass index (BMI) assessed at ages 2-3 years.
- Blood lead levels were measured prior to the clinic visit.
- Detectable BLL was defined as ≥1 μg/dL; overweight/obesity was defined as BMI ≥85th percentile.
Main Results:
- Over 43% of children had detectable BLLs (≥1 μg/dL).
- Children with detectable BLLs had a 43% lower risk of being overweight/obese (BMI ≥85th percentile) and a significantly lower BMI Z-score.
- The association was consistent across different races and sexes.
Conclusions:
- Detectable BLLs in early childhood are associated with smaller body size.
- Findings align with studies in older children, suggesting a potential role for lead in appetite suppression.
Abstract:
Rates of childhood obesity have risen at the same time rates of high blood lead levels (BLLs) have fallen. Recent studies suggest that higher BLL is inversely associated with body size in older children (ages 3-19 years). No contemporaneous studies have examined if having a detectable BLL is associated with body size in very early childhood. We examined if detectable BLL is associated with body size in early childhood. A total of 299 birth cohort participants completed a study visit at ages 2-3 years with weight and height measurements; prior to this clinic visit, a BLL was drawn as part of routine clinical care. Body mass index (BMI) percentile and Z-score were calculated; children with BMI ≥85th percentile were considered overweight/obese at age of 2 years. Detectable BLL was defined as BLL ≥1 μg/dL. A total of 131 (43.8 %) children had a detectable BLL measured at mean aged 15.4 ± 5.5 months. Mean age at body size assessment was 2.2 ± 0.3 years (53.2 % male, 68.6 % African-American). After adjusting for race, sex, and birth weight, children with a detectable BLL had a 43 % lower risk of BMI ≥85th percentile (P = 0.041) and a 0.35-unit lower BMI Z-score (P = 0.008) compared to children without a detectable BLL. Neither race nor sex modified this association (all interactions P > 0.21). Consistent with recent studies in older children, having a detectable BLL was associated with smaller body size at ages 2-3 years. Additional research on the mechanism of this association is needed but may include mechanisms of appetite suppression via lead.
