title: Windows of lead exposure sensitivity, attained height, and body mass index at 48 months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine longitudinal associations of prenatal, infancy, and early childhood lead exposure during sensitive periods with height and body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 773 participants were recruited between 1994 and 2005 in Mexico City. Lead exposure history categories were constructed for the prenatal period (maternal patellar lead concentration) and for infancy and childhood (mean child blood lead concentration at birth to 24 months and 30-48 months, respectively). Linear regression models were used to study lead exposure history with height and BMI at 48 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean height at age 48 months was significantly lower in children with a blood lead level exceeding the median during infancy (-0.84 cm; 95% CI, -1.42 to -0.25) than in children with a level below the median. Prenatal lead exposure was not associated with height at 48 months. Results for attained BMI generally trended in the same direction as for height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest an effect of lead exposure early in life on height attainment at 48 months, with the exposure window of greatest sensitivity in infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afeiche
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Brisa N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schnaas
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cantonwine
authors.forename: Adrienne S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ettinger
authors.forename: Maritsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solano-González
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández-Avila
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Martha M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Téllez-Rojo
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018876:Environmental Illness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007854:Lead