title: Association of food consumption during pregnancy with mercury and lead levels in cord blood.
abstract: In utero exposure to mercury and lead has been linked to various adverse health effects related to growth and development. However, there was no evidence on the relationship between food consumption during pregnancy and mercury or lead level in cord blood. Therefore we measured mercury and lead levels in bloods, urines, and cord bloods obtained from 302 pregnant women and estimated relationships between food consumption during pregnancy and mercury or lead level in cord blood to identify perinatal mercury and lead exposures originated from foods during pregnancy. Relationship between food consumption and mercury or lead level was estimated using a generalized linear model after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), delivery experience, income, recruitment year, and other dietary factors for mercury and age, BMI, cesarean section, delivery experience, recruitment year, and other dietary factors for lead. Fish consumption was positively associated with mercury level in cord blood (p=0.0135), while cereal and vegetable consumptions were positively associated with lead level in cord blood (p=0.0517 for cereal and p=0.0504 for vegetable). Furthermore, tea consumption restrained increase of lead level in cord blood (p=0.0014). Our findings support that mercury or lead exposure in Korean pregnant women may come from frequent fish and cereal or vegetable consumption while tea consumption may decrease lead exposure in pregnant women. Therefore, careful intervention through food consumption should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gyuyeon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Jae
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hai-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungjoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeongim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Bang
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungkyoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: csran@inha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Soo Ran
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D056910:Republic of Korea; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Food consumption; Mercury and lead exposures; Pregnant women