Abstract
The aim of this study was to elucidate past and current levels of cadmium (Cd) intake among the general populations in Korea. For this purpose, publications reporting dietary intake of cadmium (Cd-D), cadmium concentration in blood (Cd-B) and that in urine (Cd-U) in Korea were retrieved through literature survey for a period from 1975 to 2015. In practice, 9, 21 and 14 articles were available on Cd-D, Cd-B and Cd-Ucr (Cd-U as corrected for creatinine concentration), respectively. Linear regression analyses of the reported values as a function of years (i.e., the year when each survey was conducted) showed steady decreases in all of the three exposure markers of Cd-D, Cd-B and Cd-U(cr). Factors possibly contributing for the reduction were discussed including the government-set guideline of 0.2 mg/kg for rice and changes in food habits among general populations. There have been steady decreases in Cd-D, Cd-B and Cd-U(cr). The current estimates for Cd-D, Cd-B and Cd-Ucr were 6.0-7.4 μg/day, 0.73-0.83 μg/L and 0.60-0.95 μg/g cr, respectively.
Highlights
Objectives The aim of this study was to elucidate past and current levels of cadmium (Cd) intake among the general populations in Korea. For this purpose, publications reporting dietary intake of cadmium (Cd-D), cadmium concentration in blood (Cd-B) and that in urine (Cd-U) in Korea were retrieved through literature survey for a period from 1975 to 2015
Factors possibly contributing for the reduction were discussed including the government-set guideline of 0.2 mg/kg for rice and changes in food habits among general populations
It was previously observed that cadmium (Cd) contents in rice to be consumed in Korea were among the high group in rice-dependent Asian areas [1, 2]
Summary
It was previously observed that cadmium (Cd) contents in rice to be consumed in Korea were among the high group in rice-dependent Asian areas [1, 2]. Surveys by food duplicate collection [3] in two large cities in Korea in 2000 disclosed that the Cd intake was at the level of 21 lg/day, which was the second highest among 13 areas surveyed in Asia [4]. Consumption of rice, a traditional staple food in Korea [8], accounted for 23 % [9] to 25 % [10] of total dietary Cd intake. Current dietary Cd intake levels in combination with chronological changes apparently deserve studies from environmental health viewpoints. The present study was initiated to obtain an answer to this question of public health importance. A preliminary report has been published [11]
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