title: Detectable Blood Lead Level and Body Size in Early Childhood.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA. acassid1@hfhs.org.|Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA. acassid1@hfhs.org.
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8272-4448
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cassidy-Bushrow
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.|Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Havstad
authors.affiliation: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.|Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Niladri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Towson University, Towson, MD, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ownby
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.|Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Sung Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.|Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ownby
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.|Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Christine Cole
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, One Ford Place, 5C, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.|Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Ganesa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wegienka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Childhood disease; Lead; Obesity; Pediatrics; Population health