Is exposure to toxic metals contributing to ethnic and social health inequalities in children and young adults in the UK?
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Wolfson Institute of Population Health
Abstract
People in ethnic minority and deprived communities in the UK have poorer health than people from White and more affluent backgrounds, for reasons that are not fully understood. This is unfair and requires further research to try to find ways to improve the health of those who are disadvantaged in society. There is some evidence to suggest that people from ethnic minorities (especially Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian), and those living in deprived areas, have higher exposure to metal pollutants, including lead, cadmium and arsenic. If so, this may be contributing to poorer health in these groups, and needs to be investigated urgently.
In this project we will try to answer three questions which are important for public health:
- Do children and young adults from ethnic minorities and deprived communities have higher levels of metal pollutants in their blood and urine?
- Are higher levels of these metals associated with poorer health, in particular, lower lung function, higher blood pressure, and worse performance at school and doing tasks which test their thinking and memory?
- Are higher levels of these metals contributing to the poorer health we see in ethnic minority and deprived communities?
We have brought together a strong team of experts to answer these questions. We will measure levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in stored blood and urine samples taken from pregnant women, children and young adults from four English studies. This will allow us to compare levels of these metals between individuals from different backgrounds, and to see whether higher levels, measured at different times of life (including before birth), are associated with poorer health.
This project could identify vulnerable groups in the community whose health may be suffering from higher exposure to metal pollutants. Our findings will be of particular interest to the UK Health Security Agency (formally Public Health England) who is responsible for protecting the public from harmful effects of these metals on health. Ultimately we hope that this research will help us to discover ways to reduce exposure to these metal pollutants, and hence to improve the health of disadvantaged communities in the UK.
In this project we will try to answer three questions which are important for public health:
- Do children and young adults from ethnic minorities and deprived communities have higher levels of metal pollutants in their blood and urine?
- Are higher levels of these metals associated with poorer health, in particular, lower lung function, higher blood pressure, and worse performance at school and doing tasks which test their thinking and memory?
- Are higher levels of these metals contributing to the poorer health we see in ethnic minority and deprived communities?
We have brought together a strong team of experts to answer these questions. We will measure levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in stored blood and urine samples taken from pregnant women, children and young adults from four English studies. This will allow us to compare levels of these metals between individuals from different backgrounds, and to see whether higher levels, measured at different times of life (including before birth), are associated with poorer health.
This project could identify vulnerable groups in the community whose health may be suffering from higher exposure to metal pollutants. Our findings will be of particular interest to the UK Health Security Agency (formally Public Health England) who is responsible for protecting the public from harmful effects of these metals on health. Ultimately we hope that this research will help us to discover ways to reduce exposure to these metal pollutants, and hence to improve the health of disadvantaged communities in the UK.
Technical Summary
Ethnic and social health inequalities in the UK have not been fully explained. There is some evidence to suggest that people from ethnic minorities (especially Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian), and those living in deprived areas, have higher exposure to metal pollutants, including lead, cadmium and arsenic. If so, this may be contributing to poorer health in these disadvantaged groups. This warrants urgent investigation.
We will therefore investigate three questions which are important gaps in public health knowledge:
- Do children and young adults from ethnic minority and socially deprived communities in the UK have higher blood and urine concentrations of toxic metals?
- Are higher concentrations associated with poorer lung, cognitive and cardiovascular health in children and young adults?
- Are higher concentrations contributing to ethnic and social health inequalities?
In this multidisciplinary project, a collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), we will address these gaps in knowledge in four English cohorts. Blood lead and cadmium concentrations will be measured in stored blood samples, and lead, cadmium, and arsenic species will be measured in stored maternal urine samples taken in pregnancy. These samples will allow us to relate toxic metal concentrations at different stages of the life course (prenatal, childhood, young adulthood) to ethnicity, deprivation and health outcomes in childhood/early adulthood (lung function, blood pressure, cognitive function, sensorimotor function, and educational attainment), after controlling for confounders.
This project could identify vulnerable groups most at risk from toxic metal exposure. Data collected on blood lead levels will be of particular interest to the UKHSA and policy makers, given the recent reduction in the UK blood lead action level. Ultimately this work could lead to preventive strategies to reduce toxic metal exposure, improve health, and reduce health inequalities.
We will therefore investigate three questions which are important gaps in public health knowledge:
- Do children and young adults from ethnic minority and socially deprived communities in the UK have higher blood and urine concentrations of toxic metals?
- Are higher concentrations associated with poorer lung, cognitive and cardiovascular health in children and young adults?
- Are higher concentrations contributing to ethnic and social health inequalities?
In this multidisciplinary project, a collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), we will address these gaps in knowledge in four English cohorts. Blood lead and cadmium concentrations will be measured in stored blood samples, and lead, cadmium, and arsenic species will be measured in stored maternal urine samples taken in pregnancy. These samples will allow us to relate toxic metal concentrations at different stages of the life course (prenatal, childhood, young adulthood) to ethnicity, deprivation and health outcomes in childhood/early adulthood (lung function, blood pressure, cognitive function, sensorimotor function, and educational attainment), after controlling for confounders.
This project could identify vulnerable groups most at risk from toxic metal exposure. Data collected on blood lead levels will be of particular interest to the UKHSA and policy makers, given the recent reduction in the UK blood lead action level. Ultimately this work could lead to preventive strategies to reduce toxic metal exposure, improve health, and reduce health inequalities.
