Regular Breakfast and Blood Lead Levels among Preschool Children

• Authors: Jianghong Liu, University of Pennsylvania; Linda McCauley, Emory University; Charlene Compher, University of Pennsylvania; Chonghuai Yan, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine; Xiaoming Shen, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine; Herbert Needleman, University of Pittsburgh; Jennifer A. Pinto-Martin, University of Pennsylvania
• Journal Title: Environmental Health
• Volume: Volume 10, Number 28
• Publisher: BMC (part of Springer Nature) | 2011-04-01, Pages 1-8
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-10-28
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences; Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: lead exposure; lead poisoning; nutrition; diet; nutrients; breakfast

Abstract

Background Previous studies have shown that fasting increases lead absorption in the gastrointestinal tract of adults. Regular meals/snacks are recommended as a nutritional intervention for lead poisoning in children, but epidemiological evidence of links between fasting and blood lead levels (B-Pb) is rare. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between eating a regular breakfast and B-Pb among children using data from the China Jintan Child Cohort Study. Methods Parents completed a questionnaire regarding children's breakfast-eating habit (regular or not), demographics, and food frequency. Whole blood samples were collected from 1,344 children for the measurements of B-Pb and micronutrients (iron, copper, zinc, calcium, and magnesium). B-Pb and other measures were compared between children with and without regular breakfast. Linear regression modeling was used to evaluate the association between regular breakfast and log-transformed B-Pb. The association between regular breakfast and risk of lead poisoning (B-Pb≥10 μg/dL) was examined using logistic regression modeling. Results Median B-Pb among children who ate breakfast regularly and those who did not eat breakfast regularly were 6.1 μg/dL and 7.2 μg/dL, respectively. Eating breakfast was also associated with greater zinc blood levels. Adjusting for other relevant factors, the linear regression model revealed that eating breakfast regularly was significantly associated with lower B-Pb (beta = -0.10 units of log-transformed B-Pb compared with children who did not eat breakfast regularly, p = 0.02). Conclusion The present study provides some initial human data supporting the notion that eating a regular breakfast might reduce B-Pb in young children. To our knowledge, this is the first human study exploring the association between breakfast frequency and B-Pb in young children.