DIETS AND LEAD BLOOD-LEVELS OF CHILDREN WHO PRACTICE PICA

Diets of 43 children from 1 to 6 years of age were assessed and nutrient intakes were compared to blood lead values. Children with low (12-29 μg%), moderate (30-49 μg%), and high (50-67 μg%) blood lead levels had average daily calcium intakes of 615, 593, and 463 mg, respectively. Thirty-three per cent of children in the low blood lead group consumed less than 70% of the recommended amounts of calcium compared to 83% of children in the high blood lead group. Blood lead values of individual children were negatively correlated (r = -0.327, P < 0.05) with number of servings from the group of foods classified as a milk group. The incidence of pica was higher in children with moderate and high blood lead levels than in those with low blood lead levels. Average zinc intake for all children was 63% of levels recommended (RDA) with a greater percentage of children with high blood lead consuming less than 55% of RDA than children with low and moderate levels. © 1979.