BEIJING, March 2 (Chinese medianet) -- In what could be seen as remarkable improvement in children's health, far fewer U.S. kids had elevated lead levels in their blood as compared with 9 percent 20 years ago, according to a new government research.
Federal researchers found that just 1.4 percent of young children had increased lead levels in their blood in 2004, the latest data available. The reduced percentage was the result of aggressive public health efforts to lower children's exposure to lead in old house paint, soil, water and other sources.
Lead can interfere with the developing nervous system and cause permanent problems with learning, memory and behavior. Children in poor neighborhoods have generally been more at risk because they tend to live in older housing and in industrial areas.
Research co-author Mary Jean Brown of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "It has been a remarkable decline," adding, "it's a public health success story."
The 84 percent drop extends a trend that began in the 1970s when efforts began to remove lead from gasoline. The researchers credited continuing steps to reduce children's exposure to lead in old house paint, soil, water and other sources.
The study released Monday is based on nearly 5,000 children, ranging, in age, from 1 to 5, who were part of a periodic government health survey.
The government considers levels of at least 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood to be elevated, although research has shown that levels less than that can still cause problems including attention and reading difficulties. There is no known "safe" level, the study authors noted.
(Agencies)
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