Lead in Gasoline Tied to Over 150 Million Excess Cases of Mental Health Disorders, Study Suggests
Exposure to Lead in Gasoline During Childhood Resulted in Many Millions of Excess Cases of Psychiatric Disorders Over the Last 75 Years, a New Study Estimates
Exposure to lead in gasoline during childhood resulted in many millions of excess cases of psychiatric disorders over the last 75 years, a new study estimates.
Lead Banned from Automobile Fuel in 1996
Lead was banned from automobile fuel in 1996. The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, looked at its lasting impact in the U.S. by analyzing childhood blood lead levels from 1940 to 2015. According to the findings, the national population experienced an estimated 151 million excess mental health disorders attributable to exposure to lead from car exhaust during children’s early development.
The Exposure Made Generations of Americans More Depressed, Anxious, Inattentive or Hyperactive
The exposure made generations of Americans more depressed, anxious, inattentive or hyperactive, the study says.
Researchers Found that Exposure Also Lowered People’s Capacity for Impulse Control and Made Them More Inclined to be Neurotic
The researchers — a group from Duke University, Florida State University and the Medical University of South Carolina — found that the exposure also lowered people’s capacity for impulse control and made them more inclined to be neurotic.
Lead-Associated Mental Health and Personality Differences Were Most Pronounced for People Born between 1966 and 1986
Lead-associated mental health and personality differences were most pronounced for people born between 1966 and 1986, according to the study. Of that group, the greatest lead-linked mental illness burden was for Generation Xers born between 1966 and 1970, coinciding with peak use of leaded gasoline in the mid-1960s and mid-1970s.
Aaron Reuben, Co-Author of the Study, Said
“People born during those years “can’t go back in time and change that,” said Aaron Reuben, a co-author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in neuropsychology at Duke and the Medical University of South Carolina.
“Studies Like Ours Today Add More Evidence That Removing Lead from Our Environment and Not Putting it There in the First Place Has More Benefits Than We Previously Understood,” Reuben Said
“Studies like ours today add more evidence that removing lead from our environment and not putting it there in the first place has more benefits than we previously understood,” Reuben said.
The Study Found that the Groups Born Around 1940 and 2015 Had the Lowest Lead Exposure and Lead-Associated Mental Illness
The groups born around 1940 and 2015 had the lowest lead exposure and lead-associated mental illness, the study reported.
Though No Longer in Gasoline, Lead is Still Present in Other Sources
Though no longer in gasoline, lead is still present in other sources, such as some toys imported from other countries, water service lines that have not yet been updated, some soil and paint in old houses. (Lead paint was banned in 1978.)
There is No Safe Level of Exposure to Lead
There is no safe level of exposure to lead, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even small amounts are associated with developmental and learning difficulties, given that lead exposure is known to harm the brain and the nervous and reproductive systems. Children under 6 years old are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.
Conclusion
The study highlights the importance of preventing exposure to lead and removing it from the environment. As Reuben said, “We’ve done a lot of good in the U.S. reducing lead exposures. Blood lead levels have gone way down, but they could go down further.” The study serves as a reminder of the need to continue working towards a lead-free environment.
FAQs
Q: How many excess cases of mental health disorders were attributed to exposure to lead from car exhaust during childhood?
A: The study estimated that the national population experienced an estimated 151 million excess mental health disorders.
Q: What was the primary source of lead exposure?
A: The primary source of lead exposure was gasoline, which was banned from automobile fuel in 1996.
Q: Are there still sources of lead exposure?
A: Yes, lead is still present in other sources, such as some toys, water service lines, soil, and paint in old houses.
Q: Is there a safe level of exposure to lead?
A: No, there is no safe level of exposure to lead, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
