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Independent and interactive effects of iron, lead, and parenting on children's cognitive outcomes
Author(s) -
HubbsTait Laura,
Mulugeta Afework,
Bogale Alemtsehay,
Kennedy Tay S.,
Baker Eric R.,
Stoecker Barbara J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.874.6
Subject(s) - permissive , developmental psychology , psychology , cognition , literacy , peabody picture vocabulary test , perception , medicine , psychiatry , pedagogy , virology , neuroscience
This study examined effects of blood lead < 10 μg/dL, iron, and parenting on children's cognition measured by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test‐III (PPVT‐III), a measure of receptive vocabulary, and McCarthy Scales of Developmental Abilities (MCSA) verbal (reasoning, receptive and expressive vocabulary) and perceptual (pattern reproduction, conceptual grouping) scales. Participants were 112 children, mean age (SD) = 4.15 (.55) y, attending Head Start in rural Oklahoma. Venous blood samples were analyzed for lead by ICP‐MS and iron status was assessed by serum transferrin receptors. Regressions revealed significant effects of lead on MCSA perceptual scores ( R 2 = .04) with parental home literacy controlled ( R 2 = .12) and significant effects of transferrin receptors on PPVT‐III ( R 2 = .10) and MCSA verbal scores ( R 2 = .04) with parental home literacy controlled ( R 2 = .15 and .17, respectively). Permissive parenting (linked to poor nutrition practices) interacted with lead to predict children's MCSA perceptual scores ( R 2 = .04, p < .05) beyond main effects of lead and permissive parenting ( R 2 = .08). The interaction was due to a negative relation (β = −.551) between lead and scores for children of highly permissive parents, t (97) = −3.114, p < .01. We conclude researchers should examine parenting and nutrition in research on the impact of low levels of lead on child cognition. Funding: USDA‐CREES Number OKL0 2605.