CNN
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The history of lead in gasoline may date back decades. Millions of Americans suffer from mental health conditions, according to a new study.
“We have shifted the population curve on mental health issues, making everyone more exposed to symptoms of mental illness, and some people who were already at risk. They will develop diagnosable disorders earlier, more often, and with more types of diagnosable disorders,” said study co-author Dr. Aaron Reuben, assistant professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Virginia.
of The study was published on Wednesday A paper in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry estimates that it accounts for approximately 151 million diagnoses of mental disorders in the United States. Ruben added that the exposure likely would not have occurred if the gasoline did not contain lead.
Cars began to run on gasoline containing lead. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States began phasing out the substance only in the 1980s, after decades of substantial evidence of its toxicity. Leaded gasoline continues to be used as a fuel for some aircraft, race cars, farm and marine equipment.
“The people who were exposed are not in the history books,” Ruben said. “Millions of Americans walk around with an unknown and invisible history of lead exposure that likely negatively impacts the way they think, feel, and behave. ”
Effects of lead on the body
Over the past century, scientists have accumulated research showing that lead is harmful to nearly every organ system, Ruben said.
in previous researchHe and his team used data on childhood blood lead levels, leaded gas use, and demographics to estimate childhood lead exposure, and found that half of the U.S. population was exposed to harmful levels early in life. were found to have been exposed to lead.
Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a population health scientist at Canada’s Simon Fraser University and an expert on lead poisoning, said the number of people affected may be unexpected to many. He was not involved in the study.
“Given their warnings and restrictions, I think they did a thorough job of estimating the exposure,” he said.
One such limitation is that researchers did not measure all possible sources of exposure, meaning the results may actually underestimate the problem, Lanphear said. added.
“We don’t fully understand how these exposures have affected health and disease over centuries,” Ruben added.
Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that can interfere with brain development in a variety of ways and can contribute to most types of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD. he said. However, people may also have been affected in ways that cannot be diagnosed.
“Personality has changed as well. We’ve learned that[exposure to lead]makes people a little less conscientious, less organized, less detail-oriented, and pursues goals in an organized way.” I think they will be more nervous because they won’t be able to do that,” Ruben added.
What can you do if lead exposure is a widespread problem and the health effects can be serious?
The first step Ruben recommends is educating yourself about your sources of lead exposure.
“We completely phased out lead from gasoline in 1996, phased out lead from pipes in 1986, and phased out lead from paint in 1978,” he said. “If you live in a home built before those years, you should be aware that there may be lead hazards in the soil or in your home.”
That doesn’t mean it’s time to move out of your old home, Ruben says, just that you need to check for lead when you make renovations or stir the soil.
“The[Environmental Protection Agency]recently lowered soil testing levels, which means that perhaps one in four households in the U.S. has soil lead that is considered potentially hazardous,” he added. Ta.
They can be tested for lead exposure – Ruben has had his children tested by a pediatrician, he said.
For those who have already been exposed, there is no clear answer as to the possibility. Although lead levels can be reduced, Ruben recommends identifying the source and taking steps to reduce future exposure. You can also limit the harm caused by leash by doing other things that promote your health, such as exercising, eating a nutritious diet, and quitting alcohol and tobacco, he said. .
But the most impactful step is for agencies to invest in research and removing lead from the environment, Lanphear said.
“We really need a regulatory agency like the FDA to make sure baby food doesn’t contain lead,” he says. “Finding ways to address the 20 million homes that still have lead hazards or removing leaded aviation fuel is not something people can do. This is what governments and regulators need to do. is.”
“We have to stop putting this burden on people and families,” Lanphear added.
