Early Release: Blood Lead Table, NHANES 2011-2018
From time to time, CDC updates summary measurements for its National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) biomonitoring data in Updated Tables to the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.
CDC is providing the revised Blood Lead Table, NHANES 2011-2018 as a standalone resource in advance of the next scheduled National Exposure Report update to aid federal, state, and local public health agencies, and others.
This table presents blood lead data gathered in four cycles of CDC’s NHANES: survey years 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16, and 2017-18. Data from NHANES survey years 1999-2010 can be found in Volume One of the Updated Tables, March 2021. The NHANES survey is designed to provide nationally representative information for the civilian, non-institutionalized, U.S. population.
Periodically, CDC uses NHANES data to revise its Blood Lead Reference Value (BLRV). The BLRV is based on the 97.5th percentile of the blood lead values among U.S. children ages 1-5 years from the two most recent NHANES cycles for which data are available. The content of the National Exposure Report differs in that the tables, including this revised Blood Lead Table, NHANES 2011-2018, present summary data up to the 95th percentile for each individual NHANES cycle.
Lead was measured in whole blood from NHANES participants. The Environmental Health Laboratory in CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analytical methods to make these measurements.
In NHANES 2013-14 and 2015-16, blood lead was measured in all participants ages 1-11 years and a random one-half subset of those ages 12 years and older; in all other cycles, blood lead was measured in all participants ages 1 year and older. The summary measures reported for NHANES 2017-18 include data for participants ages 1-5 years that are accessible only through the National Center for Health Statistics Research Data Center.
The measurement of an environmental chemical in a person’s blood is an assessment of exposure; it does not by itself mean that the chemical causes disease or an adverse effect.
Please direct any questions about this information to CDC-INFO: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/contactus/form
Notes and Additional Resources
For more information about lead, please follow the link to CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention webpage: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm
Statistics include geometric means and selected percentiles, with 95 percent confidence intervals around each estimated statistic. Percentiles describe the shape of the distribution. For all chemicals, the 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles are presented.
Biomonitoring is the assessment of human exposure to chemicals by measuring the chemicals, their metabolites, or adducts in human specimens such as blood, serum, or urine.
Blood Lead (2011 – 2018)
| Demographic Categories |
Survey (years) |
Geometric mean (95% CI) |
50th Percentile (95% CI) |
75th Percentile (95% CI) |
90th Percentile (95% CI) |
95th Percentile (95% CI) |
Sample size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11-12 | .973 (.916-1.04) | .930 (.880-.980) | 1.52 (1.41-1.61) | 2.38 (2.17-2.61) | 3.16 (2.77-3.68) | 7920 |
| Total population | 13-14 | .858 (.813-.906) | .830 (.780-.870) | 1.32 (1.24-1.42) | 2.10 (1.96-2.30) | 2.81 (2.49-3.14) | 5215 |
| Total population | 15-16 | .820 (.772-.872) | .780 (.740-.840) | 1.32 (1.21-1.42) | 2.14 (2.02-2.24) | 2.75 (2.50-2.98) | 4988 |
| Total population | 17-18 | .753 (.723-.784) | .730 (.690-.770) | 1.22 (1.17-1.27) | 1.86 (1.75-1.95) | 2.41 (2.24-2.67) | 7513 |
| Age 1-5 years | 11-12 | .970 (.877-1.07) | .950 (.870-1.04) | 1.34 (1.20-1.65) | 2.26 (1.88-2.65) | 2.91 (2.41-3.83) | 713 |
| Age 1-5 years | 13-14 | .782 (.705-.869) | .740 (.680-.800) | 1.08 (.940-1.24) | 1.58 (1.33-1.90) | 2.24 (1.68-2.64) | 818 |
| Age 1-5 years | 15-16 | .758 (.675-.850) | .690 (.610-.790) | 1.10 (.950-1.32) | 1.86 (1.50-2.65) | 2.76 (1.94-3.81) | 790 |
| Age 1-5 years | 17-18 | .670 (.600-.748) | .620 (.540-.740) | .980 (.810-1.18) | 1.49 (1.28-1.72) | 2.02 (1.67-2.44) | 629 |
| Age 6-11 years | 11-12 | .681 (.623-.744) | .640 (.600-.700) | .930 (.820-1.05) | 1.34 (1.14-1.60) | 1.89 (1.36-2.94) | 1048 |
| Age 6-11 years | 13-14 | .567 (.529-.607) | .530 (.500-.570) | .760 (.700-.820) | 1.13 (1.01-1.23) | 1.42 (1.21-1.83) | 1075 |
| Age 6-11 years | 15-16 | .571 (.523-.623) | .550 (.510-.600) | .780 (.720-.830) | 1.18 (.970-1.44) | 1.59 (1.24-2.24) | 1023 |
| Age 6-11 years | 17-18 | .475 (.456-.494) | .460 (.430-.490) | .650 (.610-.690) | .930 (.840-1.04) | 1.19 (1.04-1.40) | 833 |
| Age 12-19 years | 11-12 | .554 (.511-.601) | .530 (.490-.570) | .740 (.660-.830) | 1.09 (.960-1.19) | 1.31 (1.16-1.65) | 1129 |
| Age 12-19 years | 13-14 | .506 (.464-.551) | .460 (.420-.500) | .670 (.600-.750) | 1.13 (.870-1.53) | 1.69 (1.27-2.06) | 627 |
| Age 12-19 years | 15-16 | .467 (.433-.504) | .450 (.410-.490) | .680 (.610-.730) | .930 (.820-1.03) | 1.17 (.990-1.36) | 565 |
| Age 12-19 years | 17-18 | .411 (.387-.436) | .390 (.370-.410) | .530 (.490-.600) | .830 (.730-.940) | 1.09 (.930-1.45) | 1030 |
| Age 20+ years | 11-12 | 1.09 (1.03-1.16) | 1.05 (1.00-1.12) | 1.67 (1.56-1.79) | 2.56 (2.33-2.77) | 3.36 (2.98-3.93) | 5030 |
| Age 20+ years | 13-14 | .967 (.921-1.02) | .940 (.900-.980) | 1.45 (1.37-1.55) | 2.26 (2.09-2.49) | 3.03 (2.65-3.55) | 2695 |
| Age 20+ years | 15-16 | .920 (.862-.982) | .880 (.810-.960) | 1.46 (1.35-1.59) | 2.30 (2.15-2.44) | 2.89 (2.65-3.07) | 2610 |
| Age 20+ years | 17-18 | .855 (.816-.895) | .850 (.780-.900) | 1.34 (1.27-1.43) | 2.01 (1.86-2.17) | 2.62 (2.41-2.86) | 5021 |
| Males | 11-12 | 1.13 (1.06-1.21) | 1.07 (1.01-1.14) | 1.74 (1.63-1.88) | 2.73 (2.48-3.01) | 3.68 (3.18-4.22) | 3968 |
| Males | 13-14 | .994 (.919-1.08) | .940 (.890-1.00) | 1.48 (1.35-1.61) | 2.41 (2.07-2.90) | 3.47 (2.89-4.32) | 2587 |
| Males | 15-16 | .921 (.864-.981) | .860 (.800-.930) | 1.46 (1.33-1.60) | 2.41 (2.18-2.62) | 2.93 (2.75-3.26) | 2488 |
| Males | 17-18 | .860 (.820-.902) | .830 (.760-.900) | 1.35 (1.25-1.45) | 2.10 (1.91-2.27) | 2.79 (2.54-3.11) | 3666 |
| Females | 11-12 | .842 (.796-.890) | .820 (.780-.860) | 1.30 (1.22-1.39) | 1.98 (1.83-2.22) | 2.59 (2.32-2.94) | 3952 |
| Females | 13-14 | .746 (.715-.777) | .730 (.700-.760) | 1.19 (1.11-1.28) | 1.86 (1.69-2.02) | 2.33 (2.24-2.42) | 2628 |
| Females | 15-16 | .735 (.679-.795) | .720 (.650-.770) | 1.16 (1.04-1.31) | 1.88 (1.66-2.13) | 2.39 (2.21-2.65) | 2500 |
| Females | 17-18 | .664 (.632-.698) | .640 (.590-.690) | 1.08 (1.02-1.15) | 1.67 (1.54-1.76) | 2.11 (1.89-2.33) | 3847 |
| Mexican Americans | 11-12 | .838 (.767-.916) | .780 (.690-.880) | 1.27 (1.15-1.40) | 2.05 (1.81-2.36) | 3.06 (2.34-3.59) | 1077 |
| Mexican Americans | 13-14 | .746 (.685-.813) | .690 (.650-.750) | 1.17 (1.10-1.28) | 1.88 (1.61-2.04) | 2.38 (2.03-2.74) | 969 |
| Mexican Americans | 15-16 | .704 (.659-.752) | .680 (.610-.730) | 1.10 (.970-1.22) | 1.77 (1.67-1.96) | 2.39 (2.01-3.10) | 994 |
| Mexican Americans | 17-18 | .662 (.610-.719) | .620 (.560-.680) | 1.10 (1.02-1.16) | 1.67 (1.49-1.92) | 2.46 (1.86-3.70) | 1134 |
| Non-Hispanic blacks | 11-12 | .998 (.947-1.05) | .910 (.850-.990) | 1.53 (1.45-1.60) | 2.58 (2.31-2.91) | 3.72 (3.04-4.58) | 2195 |
| Non-Hispanic blacks | 13-14 | .871 (.787-.963) | .830 (.720-.940) | 1.39 (1.27-1.48) | 2.17 (2.00-2.38) | 3.03 (2.48-4.00) | 1119 |
| Non-Hispanic blacks | 15-16 | .856 (.763-.962) | .790 (.700-.890) | 1.32 (1.11-1.60) | 2.19 (1.86-2.80) | 3.11 (2.76-3.39) | 1070 |
| Non-Hispanic blacks | 17-18 | .766 (.736-.798) | .710 (.680-.760) | 1.23 (1.18-1.27) | 2.03 (1.85-2.18) | 2.76 (2.45-3.08) | 1708 |
| Non-Hispanic whites | 11-12 | .993 (.914-1.08) | .960 (.880-1.03) | 1.56 (1.40-1.73) | 2.43 (2.11-2.74) | 3.14 (2.67-3.85) | 2493 |
| Non-Hispanic whites | 13-14 | .882 (.820-.950) | .870 (.800-.920) | 1.34 (1.24-1.48) | 2.20 (1.94-2.48) | 2.97 (2.43-3.58) | 1848 |
| Non-Hispanic whites | 15-16 | .835 (.774-.900) | .790 (.750-.860) | 1.35 (1.23-1.49) | 2.21 (2.03-2.36) | 2.72 (2.39-2.98) | 1511 |
| Non-Hispanic whites | 17-18 | .772 (.731-.816) | .750 (.690-.830) | 1.24 (1.15-1.32) | 1.86 (1.69-2.01) | 2.35 (2.15-2.67) | 2536 |
| All Hispanics | 11-12 | .855 (.793-.922) | .820 (.750-.880) | 1.27 (1.18-1.39) | 2.00 (1.86-2.23) | 2.84 (2.41-3.34) | 1931 |
| All Hispanics | 13-14 | .742 (.695-.793) | .690 (.660-.730) | 1.14 (1.08-1.24) | 1.80 (1.62-1.99) | 2.36 (2.03-2.72) | 1481 |
| All Hispanics | 15-16 | .703 (.658-.750) | .670 (.620-.720) | 1.10 (1.01-1.18) | 1.73 (1.56-2.00) | 2.39 (2.00-2.97) | 1664 |
| All Hispanics | 17-18 | .629 (.593-.667) | .580 (.550-.630) | 1.01 (.950-1.08) | 1.53 (1.43-1.74) | 2.11 (1.78-2.94) | 1816 |
| Asians | 11-12 | 1.15 (1.06-1.24) | 1.14 (1.02-1.26) | 1.70 (1.56-1.86) | 2.56 (2.36-2.72) | 3.28 (2.80-3.65) | 1005 |
| Asians | 13-14 | 1.01 (.923-1.11) | 1.02 (.900-1.19) | 1.48 (1.35-1.66) | 2.25 (2.06-2.39) | 2.67 (2.37-2.86) | 510 |
| Asians | 15-16 | 1.07 (.976-1.18) | 1.08 (.920-1.20) | 1.65 (1.47-1.96) | 2.62 (2.11-2.92) | 3.07 (2.76-3.49) | 479 |
| Asians | 17-18 | 1.02 (.909-1.15) | 1.01 (.910-1.14) | 1.56 (1.38-1.79) | 2.26 (2.02-2.62) | 2.93 (2.59-3.59) | 946 |