Global Lead Exposure Contributes to CVD Mortality, Loss of IQ Points

“ Our estimated magnitude of global health effects and costs of lead exposure lends urgency to reducing population exposure to lead. An estimated 5,545,000 (95% CI, 2,305,000-8,271,000) adults aged 25 and older died in 2019 due to CVD related to lead exposure. Approximately 90.2% of these adult deaths from CVD due to lead exposure occurred in low-to-middle income countries. Global cost of lead exposure totaled around $6 trillion US dollars in 2019, roughly equivalent to 6.9% of the global GDP. “Our estimated magnitude of global health effects and costs of lead exposure lends urgency to reducing population exposure to lead,” the researchers wrote.