Abstract
Lead exposure and a marker of oxidative stress (gamma-glutamyl transferase—GGT), and their effects on life course variables (age, country of birth, education levels, gender, ethnicity, income, and occupation) were explored in this cross-sectional study of United States (U.S.) adults’ ≥ 20 years of age via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 datasets. Country of birth, education levels, gender, ethnicity, income, and occupation showed significant differences depending on the degree of lead exposure, with higher levels of exposure resulting in worse outcomes. Age and GGT were significantly associated with lead exposure. More must be done to mitigate sources of lead exposure, to prevent it from altering the life course of at-risk populations.
Highlights
The life course theory is one that can be used to understand the factors that affect lead exposure risks and disease outcomes
Lead exposure can be understood through a life course approach
The current study, one of the first to examine lead exposure, oxidative stress, and life course variables in a nationally representative sample had several key findings. Those born in Mexico had significantly higher lead exposure than those born in the U.S One may refer to the sociobiological pathway where being born in Mexico, which has not enjoyed the regulatory successes [24] of the U.S, may leave some populations exposed to excess levels of lead
Summary
The life course theory is one that can be used to understand the factors that affect lead exposure risks and disease outcomes. It can be defined in this context as a study of long-term “biological, behavioral, and psychosocial processes that link adult health and disease risk to physical or social exposures acting during gestation, childhood, adolescence, earlier in adult life or across generations” [1]. There is a belief that many of the chronic and adverse health outcomes are created early in development in utero and bring forth lasting damage to the adult later on. Modification of the adverse experience is key in mitigating the effects of the exposure [1]
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