The researchers selected items for analysis from this list. Special attention was paid to foods and items that might be commonly used by low-income families, pregnant women, and children. This is because low income families, pregnant women, and young children are at greatest risk of adverse health effects from eating tainted foods. The study found that some consumer items were contaminated with lead. Back to the top of the page Lead and children in the border.
Lead exposure is one of the most common preventable poisonings of childhood.
It is estimated that one out of every six children in the US, or a total of over three million children, have blood levels in the toxic range. Pregnant women and children are at greater risk of adverse health effects from toxic lead exposures. Many studies have shown that prolonged low-level exposure to lead in unborn babies, infants and young children may cause developmental and neurological deficits ranging in severity from mental retardation to attention deficit disorders and learning disabilities. This study found that certain items manufactured in Mexico can be a potential source of lead exposure. This study is important because any citizen along the border may bring foods, health remedies, and other consumer items from Mexico that are not imported commercially and, therefore, not subject to U.S. import regulations.