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Updated: Oct 22, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Blood lead level and nutritional status indicators in preadolescent Polish schoolchildren
Natalia Nowak-Szczepanska1, Aleksandra Gomula1, Anna Sebastjan2
1Department of Anthropology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wroclaw, Poland.
Insights
Higher blood lead levels significantly impair nutritional status in preadolescent boys, indicating greater sensitivity to environmental lead exposure. This highlights the need for targeted nutritional and environmental interventions in high-exposure regions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Toxicology
Background:
- Environmental pollution from heavy metals poses risks to human health and development.
- Lead exposure is particularly detrimental, potentially affecting neurodevelopment and growth in children.
- Limited data exists on lead exposure's impact on children's nutritional and weight status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effect of blood lead levels on the nutritional and weight status of preadolescent schoolchildren.
- To investigate potential sex-specific differences in response to lead exposure.
Main Methods:
- A study of 709 schoolchildren (ages 7-11) from a mining region in Poland.
- Anthropometric measurements including BMI, MUAC, and skinfold thicknesses were used.
- Blood lead levels were measured and categorized based on the median value (3.7 μg/dL).
Main Results:
- Children with higher blood lead levels showed significantly lower BMI, MUAC, and skinfold thicknesses.
- This effect was statistically significant in boys but not in girls.
- Skinfold thickness exhibited the largest effect size concerning blood lead levels.
Conclusions:
- Higher blood lead levels significantly impair nutritional status in preadolescent boys.
- Boys appear more susceptible to the adverse nutritional effects of environmental lead exposure.
- Interventions addressing nutrition and environmental lead exposure are crucial for children in affected regions.
Background:
Environmental pollutions with heavy metals may have toxic effects on human health and development. One of the most detrimental is lead exposure, which may disturb neurodevelopment and linear growth in children. However, data on the effect of lead exposure on nutritional and weight status in children are limited, thus this study aimed to assess the effect of blood lead (Pb) level on nutritional and weight status in preadolescent schoolchildren from the industrialized, mining region in southwestern Poland.
Methods:
Our study sample involved N = 709 schoolchildren (402 boys and 307 girls) in the preadolescent developmental period (7-11 years of age for boys and 7-10 years of age for girls). Anthropometric measurements were used to assess nutritional and weight status: body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and skinfolds thicknesses (triceps, subscapular, abdominal and the sum of skinfolds). Blood Pb level was evaluated and divided into two groups: above (>3.7 μg/dL) and below median value (≤3.7 μg/dL).
Results:
Analysis of covariance (with children's age controlled as a covariate) revealed that children with blood Pb level above median value had significantly lower values of BMI, MUAC and all skinfolds (at least p < 0.01). However, this effect was significant only in boys, whereas in girls differences were non-significant (p > 0.05). The highest effect size of blood Pb level was noted for skinfolds thicknesses (partial η2: 0.015 for the sum of skinfolds).
Conclusions:
Nutritional status in children with higher blood Pb level is significantly impaired in preadolescent boys, who appear to be more sensitive to this environmental factor. Our findings indicate a particular need for nutritional and environmental interventions among preadolescent children in regions with higher lead exposure.
