Lead in Blood of Children

Lead is a major environmental health hazard for young children. Childhood exposure to lead contributes to learning problems (including reduced intelligence quotient [IQ] and reduced academic achievement) and behavioral problems.66 The blood lead reference value of 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) is used here, but the blood lead reference value the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised in 2021 will be considered for the future.67 A blood lead level above CDC's reference value is defined as "elevated" for purposes of identifying children for follow-up activities, such as environmental investigations and ongoing monitoring,68 but no level of childhood lead exposure can be considered safe,69 and adverse health effects can occur at much lower concentrations.66 Lead exposures have declined since the 1970s, due largely to the removal of lead from gasoline and paint. Children ages 1–5 are particularly vulnerable because they frequently engage in hand-to-mouth behavior.

Indicator PHY4.A: Percentage of children ages 1–5 with blood lead levels at or above 5 µG/dL, selected years 1988–1994 through 2017–March 2020
Indicator PHY4.A: Percentage of children ages 1–5 with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL, selected years 1988–1994 through 2017–March 2020

NOTE: The reference level of 5 µg/dL is the 97.5th percentile of blood lead levels for children ages 1–5 in 2005–2008. The CDC lowered this reference level to 3.5 µg/dL in 2021 to identify children with elevated blood lead levels. The new reference level has not yet been incorporated into this figure. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program suspended field operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, data collection for the 2019–2020 cycle was not completed. Therefore, data collected from 2019 to March 2020 were combined with data from the 2017–2018 cycle to create a 2017–March 2020 pre-pandemic file. This file covers 3.2 years of data collection. For more information, see: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/continuousnhanes/overviewbrief.aspx?Cycle=2017-2020.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Indicator PHY4.B: Percentage of children ages 1–5 with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL by race and Hispanic origin and poverty status, 2017–March 2020
Indicator PHY4.B: Percentage of children ages 1–5 with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL by race and Hispanic origin and poverty status, 2011–2016

‡ Reporting standards not met; estimate is considered unreliable.

NOTE: NH = non-Hispanic origin. The CDC lowered the reference level from 5 µg/dL to 3.5 µg/dL in 2021 to identify children with elevated blood lead levels. The new reference level has not yet been incorporated into this figure. Persons of Mexican American origin may be of any race.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program suspended field operations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, data collection for the 2019–2020 cycle was not completed. Therefore, data collected from 2019 to March 2020 were combined with data from the 2017–2018 cycle to create a 2017–March 2020 pre-pandemic file. This file covers 3.2 years of data collection. For more information, see: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/continuousnhanes/overviewbrief.aspx?Cycle=2017-2020.

  • In 2017–March 2020, the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels (at or above 5 micrograms lead per deciliter of blood) was 0.4%. In 1999–2002, the percentage was 8.6%, and in 1988–1994, it was 25.6%.
  • In 2017–March 2020, the percentages of Black, non-Hispanic children with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL was greater than the percentage for White, non-Hispanic children with blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL (1.7% and 0.4%, respectively).
  • In 2017–March 2020, 0.3% of children living in poverty had blood lead levels at or above 5 µg/dL compared with 12.9% in 1999–2004.



















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66 National Toxicology Program. (2012). NTP monograph: Health effects of low-level lead. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36443.

67 Ruckart P. Z., Jones R. L., Courtney J. G., et al. (2021, October 29). Update of the blood lead reference value — United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 70:1509–1512.

68 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). CDC response to Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention recommendations in "Low level lead exposure harms children: A renewed call for primary prevention." http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/acclpp/cdc_response_lead_exposure_recs.pdf.

69 Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention. (2012). Low level lead exposure harms children: A renewed call for primary prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/ACCLPP/final_Document_030712.pdf.