Shin Min Won, Kim Hyo-Bin, Kwon Ahreum, Park Mi Jung, Kim Shin-Hye
Department of Pediatrics, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul 01757, Republic of Korea.
Dr. Kwon's Growth Clinic, Seoul 06506, Republic of Korea.
Toxics. 2024 Feb 24;12(3):175. doi: 10.3390/toxics12030175.
Investigating the impact of urinary mercury and cadmium on anthropometric parameters in Korean children is crucial amid growing concerns about heavy metal exposure and childhood growth. Using data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2015-2017), we assessed age- and sex-specific associations of urinary mercury and cadmium with height and body mass index (BMI) z-scores in 1458 children aged 3-5 (n = 571) and 6-11 years (n = 887). Overall, 5.0% had stunted height (3-5 years: 6.9%, 6-11 years: 3.8%), whereas older children exhibited higher overweight/obesity prevalence (29.2%) than younger ones did (22.2%). In 3-5-year-old boys, urinary mercury correlated negatively with height z-scores ( < 0.001), whereas in girls, urinary cadmium correlated positively ( = 0.015). Boys aged 6-11 years showed positive associations between mercury/cadmium levels and BMI z-scores ( = 0.012). Logistic regression indicated associations between urinary mercury and stunted height likelihood ( = 0.001) and between urinary cadmium and reduced overweight likelihood ( = 0.039) in 3-5-year-old boys. In boys aged 6-11 years, urinary cadmium levels were positively associated with overweight likelihood ( = 0.003). This study underscores the link between elevated urinary mercury, cadmium levels, and growth disruptions in Korean children, emphasizing the need for public health strategies for reducing childhood heavy metal exposure.
鉴于人们对重金属暴露与儿童生长的担忧日益增加，研究韩国儿童尿汞和尿镉对人体测量参数的影响至关重要。利用韩国国家环境卫生调查（2015 - 2017年）的数据，我们评估了1458名3至5岁（n = 571）和6至11岁（n = 887）儿童尿汞和尿镉与身高及体重指数（BMI）z评分的年龄和性别特异性关联。总体而言，5.0%的儿童身高发育迟缓（3至5岁：6.9%，6至11岁：3.8%），而年龄较大的儿童超重/肥胖患病率（29.2%）高于年龄较小的儿童（22.2%）。在3至5岁的男孩中，尿汞与身高z评分呈负相关（< 0.001），而在女孩中，尿镉与身高z评分呈正相关（= 0.015）。6至11岁的男孩中，汞/镉水平与BMI z评分呈正相关（= 0.012）。逻辑回归表明，3至5岁男孩中尿汞与身高发育迟缓可能性之间存在关联（= 0.001），尿镉与超重可能性降低之间存在关联（= 0.039）。在6至11岁的男孩中，尿镉水平与超重可能性呈正相关（= 0.003）。这项研究强调了韩国儿童尿汞、尿镉水平升高与生长发育障碍之间的联系，强调需要制定公共卫生策略以减少儿童期重金属暴露。
