Surveillance of childhood blood lead levels in Chengdu, China in 2010-2011

INTRODUCTION Lead poisoning has been receiving great attention around the world. The Child Hygiene Cooperation Center of the World Health Organization in China has been conducting investigations to monitor blood lead levels (BLLs) from as early as 2004. However, only several lead poisoning studies have been conducted in China since August 2009. The aim of the present study was to investigate the BLLs in children aged < 7 years and to analyse the risk factors of high BLLs in Chengdu, China. METHODS Questionnaires were distributed to children in Chengdu from 2010 to 2011. A total of 2,271 children were included in this study -1,157 received BLL tests in 2010 and the remaining received the tests in 2011. BLL was measured using a tungsten atomiser absorption spectrophotometer. RESULTS The mean BLL of the 2,271 children was 6.2 mu g/dL and 2.03% of the children had BLLs >= 10 mu g/dL. Mean BLL seemed to increase with age. Unhygienic habits (e.g. not washing hands frequently, biting of toys and pencils), history of pica, use of coal and residence in an industrial zone were found to be the main risk factors contributing to high BLL (p < 0.05). Children with high BLLs have a higher risk of manifesting anorexia and/or abdominal pain as compared to those with low BLLs (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The mean BLL of children in Chengdu (i.e. 6.2 mu g/dL) was found to be higher than that of children in developed countries. Childhood lead poisoning remains a public health problem.