Song Lanxin, von Ehrenstein Ondine S
Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, PO Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, PO Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
J Immigr Minor Health. 2025 Apr;27(2):258-267. doi: 10.1007/s10903-024-01634-1. Epub 2025 Jan 3.
Higher concentrations of heavy metals were reported mainly among adult Asian persons compared to other racial/ethnic groups in earlier NHANES cycles' studies. We aimed to examine concentrations of metals among Asian children/adolescents compared to children/adolescents identifying with other racial/ethnic groups, considering socio-demographic factors and potential mediation by fish/shellfish consumption. Using NHANES data (2015-2018), 5293 participants (1-19 years) with blood/urinary measurements of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic were included. Survey-weighted adjusted generalized linear models assessed differences in log-transformed metal concentrations between Asian and non-Asian participants, considering potential effect measure modification by parental education. Causal mediation effects of recent fish/shellfish consumption were estimated. Log-transformed metal concentrations were higher among Asian than among non-Asian children/adolescents. Lower parental education was associated with higher concentrations of cadmium and methylmercury among Asian participants, and effect measure modification was suggested. Proportions of the mercury exposure disparity mediated by recent fish/shellfish consumption were 9.1% (95% CI 2.6, 17.3%) for fish, and 5.7% (0.5, 12.0%) for shellfish, with similar findings for methylmercury. Overall, Asian identification was associated with higher toxic metal exposure, and among Asian children/adolescents those with parents with lower education were particularly affected. Dietary fish/shellfish intake explained a portion of the disparities. Prevention efforts should identify sources of elevated metal exposure focusing children and adolescents while considering diverse backgrounds and dietary habits including high fish consumption.
在早期美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）周期的研究中，与其他种族/族裔群体相比，亚洲成年人中报告的重金属浓度更高。我们旨在研究亚洲儿童/青少年与其他种族/族裔儿童/青少年相比的金属浓度，同时考虑社会人口统计学因素以及鱼类/贝类消费的潜在中介作用。利用NHANES数据（2015 - 2018年），纳入了5293名年龄在1至19岁之间、有血液/尿液中铅、镉、汞和砷测量值的参与者。调查加权调整后的广义线性模型评估了亚洲和非亚洲参与者之间对数转换后的金属浓度差异，并考虑了父母教育程度对效应测量的潜在修正。估计了近期鱼类/贝类消费的因果中介效应。亚洲儿童/青少年的对数转换后的金属浓度高于非亚洲儿童/青少年。在亚洲参与者中，父母教育程度较低与镉和甲基汞浓度较高有关，并提示存在效应测量修正。近期鱼类消费介导的汞暴露差异比例为9.1%（95%置信区间2.6，17.3%），贝类消费介导的比例为5.7%（0.5，12.0%），甲基汞的结果类似。总体而言，亚洲身份与更高的有毒金属暴露相关，在亚洲儿童/青少年中，父母教育程度较低的儿童/青少年受影响尤为明显。饮食中鱼类/贝类的摄入解释了部分差异。预防措施应确定金属暴露升高的来源，关注儿童和青少年，同时考虑不同背景和饮食习惯，包括高鱼类消费情况。
