Background
Our paper draws attention to the impact of lead (Pb) on the specificity of obesity development in children exposed to environmental pollution. An advantage of this paper is the homogeneous study group comprising children of identical age from a single geographic region. Moreover, while the influence of environmental toxins on adults has been extensively explored, this study delves into pediatric populations, which have yet to receive comprehensive scrutiny within the scientific literature.
Conclusions
Lead exposure may significantly contribute to the development of hypertension, insulin resistance, and glucose metabolism disorders in overweight and obese children. It is essential to implement multidirectional actions to increase awareness of the harmful effects of xenobiotic exposure, including lead, in order to prevent early-life exposure.
Methods
Initially, a group of 136 obese children (the research program lasted three consecutive years: 2016, 2017, and 2018) living in the north-western region of Poland, from whom biochemical tests and auxological data were obtained, were enrolled for analysis. Blood lead levels (BLLs) were determined in 115 children. The age of the children ranged from 7.1 to 10.4 years. The body mass index (BMI) of children averaged 21.5 ± 2.2.
Results
The results showed that a large proportion of the participants had BLLs above the threshold for Pb. BLLs ≤ 5 µg/dL (considered safe for children and pregnant women) were found in over 70% of the participants, with BLLs in the range of 5.01-10.00 µg/dL in over 26% of the children, and concentrations > 10 µg/dL (considered toxic threshold for adults) in nearly 2% of the children. The results of our research revealed a positive association between BLLs and average systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the studied children. Moreover, we found a negative correlation between BLLs and absolute fat tissue content and triglyceride concentration. Among the included biochemical factors, only insulin demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with fat mass. This result suggests that early carbohydrate metabolism disorders in overweight children involve decreased peripheral tissue insulin sensitivity. Conclusions: Lead exposure may significantly contribute to the development of hypertension, insulin resistance, and glucose metabolism disorders in overweight and obese children. It is essential to implement multidirectional actions to increase awareness of the harmful effects of xenobiotic exposure, including lead, in order to prevent early-life exposure.