RESUMO
Infant cereals, one of the first solid foods introduced to infants, have been reported to pose risks to human health because they contain toxic elements and an excess of essential elements. The objective of this study was to assess the cancer and non-cancer risk of exposure to essential and toxic elements in infant cereal in Brazil. In our analyses, we included data from 18 samples of infant cereals made from different raw materials and estimated the incremental lifetime cancer risks and non-cancer hazard quotients (HQs) for their consumption. Rice cereal is particularly concerning because it is immensely popular and usually contains high levels of inorganic arsenic. In addition to arsenic, we assessed aluminum, boron, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, and zinc. The cancer risk was highest for rice cereal, which was also found to have an HQ > 1 for most of the tested elements. Inorganic As was the element associated with the highest cancer risk in infant cereal. All of the infant cereals included in this research contained at least one element with an HQ > 1. The essential and non-essential elements that presented HQ > 1 more frequently were zinc and cadmium, respectively. The cancer and non-cancer risks could potentially be decreased by reducing the amount of toxic and essential elements (when in excess), and public policies could have a positive influence on risk management in this complex scenario.
Assuntos
Grão Comestível , Brasil , Medição de Risco , Humanos , Grão Comestível/química , Lactente , Alimentos Infantis/análise , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Exposição Dietética/análise , Oligoelementos/análise , Oligoelementos/toxicidade , Arsênio/análise , Arsênio/toxicidade , Neoplasias/epidemiologia , Neoplasias/induzido quimicamenteRESUMO
In certain populations, rice is the main source of exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs), which is associated with cancer and non-cancer effects. Although rice is a staple food in Brazil, there have been few studies about the health risks for the Brazilian population. The objective of this study was to assess the risks of exposure to iAs from white rice and brown rice in Brazil, in terms of the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects, and to propose measures to mitigate those risks. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and hazard quotient (HQ) were calculated in a probabilistic framework. The mean ILCR was 1.5 × 10-4 for white rice and 6.0 × 10-6 for brown rice. The HQ for white and brown rice was under 1. The ILCR for white and brown rice was high, even though the iAs concentration in rice is below the maximum contaminant level. The risk for brown rice consumption was lower, which was not expected. Various mitigation measures discussed in this report are estimated to reduce the risk from rice consumption by 5-67%. With the support of public policies, measures to reduce these risks for the Brazilian population would have a positive impact on public health.
Assuntos
Arsênio , Arsenicais , Oryza , Humanos , Arsênio/análise , Brasil/epidemiologia , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Arsenicais/análise , Medição de RiscoRESUMO
Lead poisoning has been reportedly linked to a high risk of learning disabilities, aggression and criminal offenses. To study the association between lead exposure and antisocial/delinquent behavior, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 Brazilian youths aged 14-18 and their parents (n=93), living in impoverished neighborhoods of Bauru-SP, with high criminality indices. Self-Reported Delinquency (SRD) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) questionnaires were used to evaluate delinquent/antisocial behavior. Body lead burdens were evaluated in surface dental enamel acid microbiopsies. The dental enamel lead levels (DELL) were quantified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and phosphorus content was measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Logistic regression was used to identify associations between DELL and each scale defined by CBCL and SRD scores. Odd ratios adjusted for familial and social covariates, considering a group of youths exposed to high lead levels (>or=75 percentile), indicated that high DELL is associated with increased risk of exceeding the clinical score for somatic complaints, social problems, rule-breaking behavior and externalizing problems (CI 95%). High DELL was not found to be associated with elevated SRD scores. In conclusion, our data support the hypothesis that high-level lead exposure can trigger antisocial behavior, which calls for public policies to prevent lead poisoning.
Assuntos
Transtorno da Personalidade Antissocial/induzido quimicamente , Transtorno da Personalidade Antissocial/epidemiologia , Esmalte Dentário/metabolismo , Exposição Ambiental/efeitos adversos , Intoxicação do Sistema Nervoso por Chumbo/epidemiologia , Chumbo/metabolismo , Adolescente , Transtorno da Personalidade Antissocial/fisiopatologia , Biomarcadores/análise , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Brasil/epidemiologia , Comorbidade , Psicologia Criminal , Estudos Transversais , Esmalte Dentário/química , Feminino , Humanos , Chumbo/análise , Intoxicação do Sistema Nervoso por Chumbo/diagnóstico , Intoxicação do Sistema Nervoso por Chumbo/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Fósforo/análise , Fósforo/metabolismo , Áreas de Pobreza , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Espectrofotometria Atômica , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: This paper analyzes the impact of a 7-year interruption in water fluoridation on the prevalence of enamel fluorosis in Jaú, state of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: Fluorosis prevalence (TF index) was evaluated in permanent maxillary central incisors of children (9-14 years old) that were 36 (n=81; cohort -36), 27 (n=81; cohort -27), and 18 months old (+/-1 month; n=89; cohort -18) in October 1991, when the breakstarted, and 18months old(+/-1 month;n=70; cohort 18) after that date. Children brushed their teeth prior to examination, which was conducted under natural light by three calibrated examiners (agreement 87.8-93.8%, kappa 0.72-0.85). RESULTS: The fluorosis prevalence (TF> or =1) was 7.41 percent, 3.70 percent, 7.87 percent, and 18.57 percent, respectively, for cohorts -36, -27, -18, and 18. The difference between cohort 18 and the other groups was statistically significant (Kruskall-Wallis test, P=.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the fluoridated water is not an important risk factor for enamel fluorosis, since the prevalence of enamel fluorosis was low in the cohorts -36, -27, and -18 when fluoridated water was used.