6.7μg/dL
IHME Global Burden of Disease, 2021
228,034,500
BMJ Global Health, 2025
| Category | # of samples | Min Value (ppm) | Median (ppm) | Max Value (ppm) | % Above Ref. Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spices | 43 | ND | ND | 7 | 2% |
| Ceramic Foodware | 12 | ND | 65 | 18,600 | 42% |
| Metal Foodware | 26 | ND | 217 | 90,400 | 69% |
| Plastic Foodware | 18 | ND | ND | 1,643 | 17% |
| Cosmetics | 44 | ND | ND | 128,400 | 9% |
| Toys | 43 | ND | ND | 442 | 2% |
| Paints (Large Surface) | 10 | ND | ND | 2,822 | 10% |
| Paints (Crafts, Arts, Specialty Use) | 17 | ND | ND | 32 | 0% |
| Paints (Unclassified) | 3 | ND | ND | 846 | 33% |
| Staple Dry Food | 10 | ND | ND | ND | 0 |
| Medicines | 2 | ND | ND | ND | 0 |
Country Lead Statistics
What's included:
- Average blood lead level (BLL) for children (19 and under).
- Average blood lead level (BLL) for children (13 and under).
- Percent of children (19 and under) with blood lead levels (BLL) over 5 ug/dl. This is higher than the current WHO and CDC level of concern of 3.5 ug/dl.
- Number of children (19 and under) with blood lead levels (BLL) over 5 ug/dl. This is higher than the current WHO and CDC level of concern of 3.5 ug/dl.
- Percent of children (19 and under) with BLL over 10 ug/dl. This is higher than the current WHO and CDC level of concern of 3.5 ug/dl.
- Number of children (19 and under) with BLL over 10 ug/dl. This is higher than the current WHO and CDC level of concern of 3.5 ug/dl.
- Number of premature deaths attributed to lead.
- Percentage of premature deaths attributed to lead.
- Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) attributed to lead.
Data Source: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.
Lead in Consumer Products
Lead can be found in many consumer products, including paint, ceramic and metal cookware, spices, cosmetics, toys, and other items.
What's Included:
- Data on lead content in metal foodware, ceramics, cosmetics, paints, toys, spices and other foods.
Data Sources:
Country Resources
Review national statistics, policy initiatives, and studies on lead exposure.
Lead Burden Index
The cumulative population blood lead level (alternately 'Lead Burden Index'), combines average lead blood levels with population size. It can act as an indicator of gross intellectual impairment or cardiovascular disease. This metric can be used to estimate the burden of lead in different countries or regions, and between different source(s) of lead when known. The tool is instructive for donors, governments and United Nations agencies when comparing a range of interventions for viability or cost-effectiveness.
Data Source: Cumulative population blood lead levels, Fuller et al., BMJ Global Health, 2025