We analyzed 2011 to 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data by year and available demographic characteristics. We report geometric means, the prevalence of BLLs of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter or above and 5.0 micrograms per deciliter or above, and linear trends. In addition, we summarize 2017 to 2023 surveillance data from 7 states.
Author: Pete Miller
As people age, cholesterol and fat gradually clog the walls of two large arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood to the brain.
Over time, depending on a person’s diet and other lifestyle choices, the carotid arteries can narrow to the point surgeons intervene by scraping out calcified gunk, called plaque, to reduce the risk of stroke and other diseases.
It turns out tiny bits of plastics pollution accumulated during this hardening of the arteries might increase the probability of future health problems.
As scientists, health professionals, and other experts who have devoted decades to understanding toxic threats to the development of children’s brains, we conclude that the presence and impact of toxic chemical additives to plastics, and potentially microplastics themselves, on children’s brains and bodies, constitute a significant public health concern. Here, we present evidence supporting the call to take actions to protect children from harm and offer recommendations to reduce the production, use, and toxicity of plastics as one way to reduce children’s exposures to these chemicals and to microplastics.