Ef fect of Dietary Factors on Lead Metabolism in Preschool Children of Nantong City

Lead in foods is a main source of lead intakes in children.In order to study how dietary factors affect lead metabolism, Lead concentrations in some kinds of foods were determined, intakes of lead and other nutrients from foods w ere calculated and analy zed in 44 preschool children aging from 5 to 7 years old in Nanto ng city. Lead concentrations of 143 kinds of foods ex amined in the study were under permitted level of lead in foods.Traditional techno logical process affected lead concentrations in foo ds a lo t.Lead intakes from foods of those w hose lead concentration in hair are below 10μg/g (group A)w ere 185.25 ±42.85μg/ g, higher than 160.91±31.47μg/ g of those w hose lead concentration in hair are above 10 μg/ g (group B)(P <0.05).Dietary lead intakes of the two groups w ere all ex cess the limit recommended by FAO/ WHO in 1986.Average daily intakes of dietary calcium, retinol, vitamin E, dairy and veg etables of g roup A were hig her than that of group B (P <0.05).It was suggested that those dietary factors might be pro tective facto rs of the damage of lead in preschool children.