Lead concentrations in the blood of children in the United States

Lead exposure has fallen dramatically in the United States over the last 50 years. Despite being toxic to human health, lead was used in various products, including gasoline, paint, and pipes. However, there have been successful efforts to phase it out in recent decades.

The chart shows measurements of lead concentrations in children’s blood since the late 1970s, based on data from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Both the average child and those with the highest exposure rates — the 95th percentile — show a dramatic decline. Lead exposure is still a massive problem in many low-to-middle-income countries, where its use in paints, pipes, and other sectors is not monitored or controlled.