Search

Background Childhood lead exposure is a purported risk factor for antisocial behavior, but prior studies either relied on indirect measures of exposure or did not follow participants into adulthood to examine the relationship between lead exposure and criminal activity in young adults. The objective of this study was to determine if prenatal and childhood blood lead concentrations are associated with arrests for criminal offenses. Methods and Findings Pregnant women were recruited from four prenatal clinics in Cincinnati, Ohio if they resided in areas of the city with a high concentration of older, lead-contaminated housing. We studied 250 individuals, 19 to 24 y of age, out of 376 children who were recruited at birth between 1979 and 1984. Prenatal maternal blood lead concentrations were measured during the first or early second trimester of pregnancy. Childhood blood lead concentrations were measured on a quarterly and biannual basis through 6.5 y. Study participants were examined at an inner-city pediatric clinic and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Total arrests and arrests for offenses involving violence were collected from official Hamilton County, Ohio criminal justice records. Main outcomes were the covariate-adjusted rate ratios (RR) for total arrests and arrests for violent crimes associated with each 5 µg/dl (0.24 µmol/l) increase in blood lead concentration. Adjusted total arrest rates were greater for each 5 µg/dl (0.24 µmol/l) increase in blood lead concentration: RR = 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.85) for prenatal blood lead, 1.07 (95% CI 0.88-1.29) for average childhood blood lead, and 1.27 (95% CI 1.03-1.57) for 6-year blood lead. Adjusted arrest rates for violent crimes were also greater for each 5 µg/dl increase in blood lead: RR =1.34 (95% CI 0.88-2.03) for prenatal blood lead, 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64) for average childhood blood lead, and 1.48 (95% CI 1.15-1.89) for 6-year blood lead. Conclusions Prenatal and postnatal blood lead concentrations are associated with higher rates of total arrests and/or arrests for offenses involving violence. This is the first prospective study to demonstrate an association between developmental exposure to lead and adult criminal behavior., Introduction Early onset of aggressive or violent behavior is a precursor to a life course marred by limited social and educational achievement, incarceration, underemployment, and premature mortality [1,2]. These maladaptive [...]

Despite a dramatic decline in lead exposures, many children in the United States have blood lead levels consistent with lead toxicity. (1) The adverse consequences of low-level lead exposure, including […]

Background. Health disparities between children from urban minority backgrounds and children from more affluent backgrounds are well-recognized. Few studies specifically address urban children's perceptions of their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) or the factors that contribute to these perceptions. Since schools are pivotal to children's intellectual, social, and emotional development, school connectedness may be a factor that contributes to their perception of HRQOL. Objective. To examine children's perceptions of HRQOL in an elementary school-based population of urban children. Methods. The study population consisted of 2nd, 3rd, and 5th graders from 6 urban kindergarten to 8th grade schools and their parents. Children completed a survey that included questions on HRQOL and school connectedness. Parents completed a telephone survey that assessed demographics, the child's health, health care usage, and parental health status. Data on school absences and mobility from the computerized school database were linked to survey data. Bivariate analyses were used to evaluate the association between child report of HRQOL and collected variables, including school connectedness. Multivariable linear regression was conducted to identify the factors best predicting HRQOL in these urban children. Results. Of the 1150 eligible students, parent and child survey data were available for 525 (45.6%). Fifty-one percent of students were male and 89% were black. Ninety-four percent of parents were female, 29% were married, and 62% had family incomes below $20 000 per year. The mean total score for HRQOL was 67.2, with a possible range of 0 to 100 (higher scores reflecting better HRQOL). In the multivariable analysis, child grade, the relationship of the "parent" to the child, employment, family income, type/presence of insurance, and school connectedness were significantly associated with the HRQOL total score. Conclusions. Young urban children self-report low HRQOL scores and do so as early as the 2nd grade. These low scores, which reflect children's own perceptions of impaired psychological and physical health, have potential implications for the success of urban children in their learning environments. The association between HRQOL and school connectedness might suggest that health and educational programs that improve a child's attachment to school could result in improved perceptions of health by urban children. Pediatrics 2003;111: 1372-1381; school health, underserved populations, health status., ABBREVIATIONS. HRQOL, health-related quality of life; CSDHP, Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project; SF, short form. Health disparities between children from urban minority backgrounds and those from more affluent backgrounds are [...]

Infants who are switched to solid food at three months appear to grow at the same rate and have similar body composition to infants switched at six months. Researchers compared growth and body composition at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in 165 infants who randomly received solid food at 3 or 6 months. Some infants received commercially prepared food and some received food prepared by the parent. There were no differences in growth or body composition between the groups even though those on commercially prepared food consumed fewer total calories and fewer calories from fat and protein., Objective. The optimal time and choice of solid foods to introduce to an infant's diet is unknown. The aim of this randomized trial was to determine whether early versus late introduction of solid foods and commercially prepared versus parent's choice of solid foods affects growth or body composition in the first year. Methods. White infants (n = 165) were recruited before 3 months of age and were randomized to receive: 1) commercially prepared solid foods (commercial) from 3 to 12 months, 2) commercially prepared solid foods from 6 to 12 months, 3) parent's choice of solid foods (choice) from 3 to 12 months, or 4) parent's choice of solid foods from 6 to 12 months. Anthropometrics and body composition, using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, were determined at 3, 6, and 12 months. Three-day diet diaries were completed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results. There were no differences in growth or body composition between infants in early versus late introduction groups or commercial versus choice groups at any age. The total energy intake was not different among infants in the early compared with the late group at any age. Infants in the commercial group consumed less protein calories at 9 months (80 [+ or -] 3 kcal/d vs 88 [+ or -] 3 kcal/d) and 12 months (101 [+ or -] 5 kcal/d vs 148 [+ or -] 5 kcal/d), less fat calories at 12 months (263 [+ or -] 10 kcal/d vs 343 [+ or -] 10 kcal/d), and less total calories at 12 months (884 [+ or -] 24 kcal/d vs 1022 [+ or -] 25 kcal/d) compared with the choice group. Conclusion. The early introduction of solid foods to an infant's diet does not alter growth or body composition during the first year of life and results in a displacement of energy intake from formula. Infants consuming commercially prepared foods have a decreased caloric intake from protein and fat; however, despite this difference, there is no effect on growth or body composition. Pediatrics 1998;102:569-573; growth, body composition, macronutrients., ABBREVIATIONS. DXA, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; CRC, Clinical Research Center; BMI, body mass index. The optimal time to introduce solid foods to an infant's diet is unknown and highly variable [...]

Calcium supplementation does not seem to offer benefits to breastfeeding mothers. Bone density declines during breastfeeding and recovers after weaning. Researchers randomly assigned 326 new mothers, half of whom breastfed and half of whom did not, to calcium supplementation of 1 gram per day or placebo and followed them for as long as a year. Calcium supplementation did not prevent the decline of bone mineralization in breastfeeding mothers and only slightly enhanced the recovery of normal bone density after weaning.

Most infant formulas have equivalent amounts of calcium and phosphorus, and are thought to have levels of phosphorus and calcium comparable to those in human milk. However, some newborns who are fed infant formulas within the first weeks of life develop convulsions due to hypocalcemia (abnormally low blood levels of calcium) and hyperparathyroidism (increased activity of the parathyroid gland). This gland releases parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It is thought that hypocalcemia may result from the higher phosphate content of infant formulas as compared with human milk. It has been suggested that decreasing the phosphorus content relative to the calcium content of milk formulas may result in a formula that better resembles the calcium and phosphorus levels of human milk and reduce the incidence of hypocalcemia. The effects of milk formulas with varying proportions of phosphate and calcium on blood calcium levels and parathyroid gland activity were assessed in infants who were fed formulas in the first weeks of life. The findings were compared with results from breast-fed infants. The study involved 69 newborns. Formula-fed infants had higher phosphate levels and lower calcium levels than infants who received human milk. Levels of parathyroid hormone were increased in formula-fed infants and decreased in human milk-fed infants, and were correlated with the intake of phosphorus in the formula-fed infants. Mineral and hormone levels were similar among all formula-fed infants. The findings suggest that the reduction in blood calcium levels in formula-fed infants may contribute to the development of hypocalcemia shortly after birth. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

ABSTRACT Objective The timing of introduction of complementary food to an infant's diet is variable throughout the world. Our objective was to determine whether early introduction of complementary foods affects [...]

Bone mineral content (BMC) can be used to detect metabolic bone disorders and nutritional diseases such as rickets. Normally, BMC increases with age and is higher in males. However, standard differences in BMC among different races have not been determined. A previous study of the skeletal development of blacks revealed that their larger bone mass was due to the larger body mass. Larger body mass puts a strain on the skeleton, which in turn stimulates the formation of bone. Another study of racial differences in bone structure indicated that bones in black women have more calcium and phosphorus. BMC was measured in 131 children between the ages of one and six to see whether any racial differences exist. Results indicated that black children have a higher BMC than white children regardless of body weight, that females have lower BMC than males, and that BMC increases with age and weight. The differences in diet between the two groups cannot be ruled out as factors affecting the results. The information obtained from this study may be useful in diagnosing bone mineralization disorders in children. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)