Blood lead concentration and 6»aminolevulinic acid in urine were used as indicator for lead exposure among school children in an industrial area south of the peninsular Malaysia. A group of 1 00 Malay children which consist of 48 boys and 52 girb with the age range of 61/2 to 81/2 years from a primary school were selected as chiMren. Blood samples were collected and analyzed with Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The urine 6-aminolevulinic acid concentrations were measured with UV/VIS Spectrophotometer. The mean blood lead was 3.75ug/dl. Based on the biological index, 76% of the children are in the “normal range" (
Introduction: A study on biological monitoring of lead on children was conducted when unleaded gasoline was widely used in 1998. The objectives were to monitor lead exposure using blood lead, urine d-aminolevulinic acid (d-ALA) and urine lead concentrations as biological indicators and to determine the relationship between these variables.
Methodology: Two hundred and sixty-nine school children, 169 from an urban school of Kuala Lumpur and 100 from an industrial school in southern Malaysia were selected for the study. These were Malay children in the age range of 61/2 to 81/2 years old. Blood and urine lead concentrations were analyzed using the Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Urine d-ALA was measured with Spectrophotometer UV/VIS.
Results: The mean blood lead concentrations of the urban children (3.56 mg/dl) and the industrial children (3.75 mg/dl) were not significantly different (p=0.451). The urine d-ALA (urban=9.606; industrial=6.965 mg/g creatinine) and urine lead (urban=2.625; industrial=4.548 mg/g creatinine) of the urban children were significantly higher than the industrial children (p=0.014: p 10 mg/dl. About 78% of the urban children and 76% of the industrial children have urine d-ALA in a normal range (<0.6 mg/100ml) while 22% of the urban children and 24% of the industrial children were in the acceptable range (0.6 - 2.0 mg/100ml). All the children had normal urine lead concentrations (<8 mg/100ml).
Conclusion: These children were not highly exposed to lead as indicated by their blood lead, urine d-ALA and urine lead concentrations which were below the allowable standard in both study areas . This may be due to the total ban on leaded gasoline in the country since 1998 and as a result, the environmental lead exposure in these areas was quite low.
Keywords: Children's lead exposure, blood lead, urine lead, urine d-ALA
This study aimed to determine the relationship between blood lead (BPb) concentrations and cognitive and physical development in school children. A total of 169 urban children and 100 industrial children of Malay ethnicity, in the age range of 6(1/2) to 8(1/2) years, were selected. BPb was determined using GF atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean cognitive score (102.55) of the children from the industrial area was significantly higher than that of the urban children (95.09; P < .001). However, no significant differences were found in the BPb levels between the 2 groups (industrial, 3.75 microg/dL; urban, 3.56 microg/dL). There was significant inverse correlation between BPb and cognitive scores for all children (P < .05). The cognitive scores for all children were influenced by BPb after adjustments (P < .05). The urban children had significantly better Weight for Height and Left Arm Circumference values than those from industrial area. There was no significant correlation between BPb and the anthropometric measurements. In conclusion, low BPb influenced the cognitive development, whereas physical development was not affected.
The Malaysian Adults Nutrition Survey (MANS) was carried out between October 2002 and July 2003, involving 6,775 men and 3,441 women aged 18 - 59 years. Anthropometric assessment showed that the overall mean body weight and BMI were 62.65 kg (CI: 62.20, 63.09) and 24.37 kg/m2 (CI: 24.21, 24.53) respectively. Based on the WHO (1998) classification of BMI, 12.15% (CI: 11.26, 13.10) were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2), and 26.71% (CI: 25.50, 27.96) overweight (BMI > 25 - 29.9 kg/m2). Significantly, more women were obese [14.66% (CI: 13.37, 16.04)] while significantly more men were overweight [28.55% (CI: 26.77, 30.40)]. Ethnicitywise, prevalence of obesity was highest among the Malays [15.28% (CI: 13.91, 16.77)] while overweight was highest for the Indians [31.01% (CI: 26.64, 35.76)]. Both obesity and overweight were highest among those aged 40 - 49 years. Obesity was highest for those whose household income was between RM1,500 - 3,500 while overweight was more prevalent for those whose household income exceeded RM3,500. The prevalence of overweight was highest for those with primary education [31.90% (CI: 29.21, 34.72)]. There was no significant urban rural differential in both obesity and overweight. The study found 9.02% (CI:8.82, 10.61) with chronic energy deficiency (CED) (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2). The prevalence of CED was relatively higher in the indigenous population (Orang Asli) [14.53% (CI: 5.14, 34.77)], subjects aged 18-19 years [26.24% (CI: 21.12, 32.09)], and with monthly household income of < RM1,500 [10.85% (CI: 9.63, 12.20)]. The prevalence of CED was not significantly different among the geographical zones and educational levels, and between urban/rural areas and sexes. The results call for priority action to address the serious problem of overweight and obesity among Malaysian adults as it poses a grave burden to the country's resources and development.
Study name: Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS-2003)