Identification of potential food sources affecting blood lead levels and their health hazards (CVD, respiratory diseases, cancer)

Environmental lead exposure is a well-known and significant public health concern. In areas with low lead exposure, comprehensive and detailed research and validation are needed to eliminate the adverse effects of environmental lead exposure. This study aims to understand the possible food pathways of environmental lead exposure by exploring the contribution of food to blood lead and the mediating effect of blood lead in the occurrence of diseases. Similarly, as lead is a heavy metal pollutant with good research foundation, fine analysis of lead in this period can also be a reference for other unknown pollutants. In this cross-sectional study of 1162 peoples, the data are taken from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NANHES) 2015-2016, we grouped the population according to the median blood lead level (0.038 mu mol/L) to screen the variables adjusted by the model. we grouped foods by code and used a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) to study their relationship with blood lead levels, a correlation has been found between egg mixtures (p = 0.007) and legumes (p = 0.041) consumption and blood lead levels. We analyzed how metabolic status, exercise, and macronutrient intake modulate the impact of certain foods on blood lead levels to infer its possible process. To verify whether adverse effects are caused by lead, we explored the mediating effect of blood lead on the relationship between food intake and disease [cardiovascular diseases (CVD), respiratory diseases, cancer], however, no statistically significant mediating effect was found. Overall, environmental lead exposure through food still affects blood lead levels, but it has not led to adverse outcomes in blood, respiratory system, or cancers Under conditions where lead exposure levels were equivalent to those in the study (blood lead levels, mean = 0.052 mu mol/L, standard deviation = 0.048 mu mol/L, median = 0.038 mu mol/L, min = 0.002 mu mol/L, max = 0.904 mu mol/L, skewness = 6.543, kurtosis = 89.391).

Automated summary

Environmental lead exposure is a significant public health concern that requires comprehensive research. This study investigates the contribution of food to blood lead levels and examines the potential mediating effect of blood lead on disease occurrence. The findings indicate a correlation between the consumption of egg mixtures and legumes and blood lead levels. However, no significant mediating effect of blood lead on the relationship between food intake and diseases was found.