Contribution of children's activities to lead contamination of food

Childrens' touching and mouthing behaviors during outdoor play in urban residential yards were measured using video observations. Descriptions were made of childrens' outdoor residential play environments. Behaviors assessed were used to examine (1) validity of parental responses to questions on childrens' oral behaviors and outdoor play and (2) relationships of mouthing behaviors to blood lead levels (BLLs). Thirty-seven children aged 1-5 years were recruited for 2 h of video recording in their yard and blood lead measurement. Video assessments included hourly rates of hand touches to ground/ walking-level surfaces (cement/stone/steel, porch floor/steps, grass, and bare soil) and oral behaviors. Parental questionnaires assessed their child's outdoor activities, behaviors, and home environment. The children were: mean 39 months; 51% male; 89% Hispanic; and 78% Medicaid or uninsured. Twenty-two children had a blood lead measured (mean 6 mg/dl). During taping, all children had access to cement, 92% to grass, 73% to bare soil, and 59% to an open porch. Children had frequent touching and mouthing behaviors observed (median touches/h: touches to surfaces 81; hand-to-mouth area (with and without food) 26; hand-in-mouth 7; and object-in-mouth 17). Blood lead was directly correlated with log-transformed rates of hand-in-mouth (Pearson's correlation, r ¼ 0.564, n ¼ 22, P ¼ 0.006) and object-in-mouth (Pearson's correlation, r ¼ 0.482, n ¼ 22, P ¼ 0.023) behaviors. Parental questionnaire responses did not accurately reflect childrens' observed oral behaviors, play habits, or play environment. These data confirm the direct relationship between hand-to-mouth activities and BLLs and fail to validate parental perceptions of their child's mouthing behaviors or outdoor play environment.

Section: Studies Of Oral Behaviors Using Video Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships of video assessments of touching and mouthing behaviors during outdoor play in urban residential yards to parental perceptions of child behaviors and blood lead levels

Schaefer

Vicario

et al. 2006

“…Children are particularly susceptible to such added exposures due to unstructured eating behaviors (Goldman, 1995;Landrigan et al, 1999;Hubal et al, 2000) and as a result, these activities can become an important factor in determining total dietary intakes (Akland et al, 2000;Melnyk et al, 2000;Freeman et al, 2001). In an effort to account for all routes of intake, a Children's Dietary Intake Model (CDIM) was developed (Akland et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface-to-food pesticide transfer as a function of moisture and fat content

Vonderheide

Bernard

Hieber

et al. 2008

b National Council on the AgingTransfer of pesticides from household surfaces to foods may result in excess dietary exposure in children (i.e., beyond that inherent in foods due to agricultural application). In this study, transfer was evaluated as a function of the moisture and fat content of various foods. Surfaces chosen for investigation were those commonly found in homes and included Formica s , ceramic tile, plastic, carpet, and upholstery fabric. Each surface type was sprayed with an aqueous emulsion of organophosphates, fipronil, and synthetic pyrethroids. In the first phase of the study, multiple foods (apples, watermelon, wheat crackers, graham crackers, white bread, flour tortillas, bologna, fat-free bologna, sugar cookies, ham, Fruit Roll-ups s , pancakes, and processed American cheese) were categorized with respect to moisture and fat content. All were evaluated for potential removal of applied pesticides from a Formica surface. In the second phase of the study, representative foods from each classification were investigated for their potential for pesticide transfer with an additional four surfaces: ceramic tile, plastic, upholstery, and carpet. Moisture content, not fat, was found to be a determining factor in most transfers. For nearly all surfaces, more efficient transfer occurred with increased hardness (Formica and ceramic tile). Comparatively, the polymer composition of the plastic delivered overall lower transfer efficiencies, presumably due to an attraction between it and the organic pesticides of interest.

“…Young children (1-6 years old) consume foods with their fingers as well as foods that have been picked up from the floor (NRC, 1993) and other contaminated surfaces. Their lack of basic hygiene patterns can contribute to higher dietary exposure (Freeman et al, 2001). The most commonly eaten finger-foods are apples, grain products (e.g., bread and crackers), cold cuts, cheese, and bananas (Freeman et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer efficiencies of pesticides from household flooring surfaces to foods

Rohrer

Hieber

Melnyk

et al. 2003

The transfer of pesticides from household surfaces to foods was measured to determine the degree of excess dietary exposure that occurs when children's foods contact contaminated surfaces prior to being eaten. Three household flooring surfaces (ceramic tile, hardwood, and carpet) were contaminated with an aqueous emulsion of commercially available pesticides (diazinon, heptachlor, malathion, chlorpyrifos, isofenphos, and cis-and trans-permethrin) frequently found in residential environments. A surface wipe method, as typically used in residential exposure studies, was used to measure the pesticides available on the surfaces as a basis for calculating transfer efficiency to the foods. Three foods (apple, bologna, and cheese) routinely handled by children before eating were placed on the contaminated surfaces and transfers of pesticides were measured after 10 min contact. Other contact durations (1 and 60 min) and applying additional contact force (1500 g) to the foods were evaluated for their impact on transferred pesticides. More pesticides transferred to the foods from the hard surfaces, that is, ceramic tile and hardwood flooring, than from carpet. Mean transfer efficiencies for all pesticides to the three foods ranged from 24% to 40% from ceramic tile and 15% to 29% from hardwood, as compared to mostly non-detectable transfers from carpet. Contact duration and applied force notably increased pesticide transfer. The mean transfer efficiency for the seven pesticides increased from around 1% at 1 min to 55-83% when contact duration was increased to 60 min for the three foods contacting hardwood flooring. Mean transfer efficiency for 10-min contact increased from 15% to 70% when a 1500 g force was applied to bologna placed on hardwood flooring. Contamination of food occurs from contact with pesticide-laden surfaces, thus increasing the potential for excess dietary exposure of children.