Objective: To assess blood cadmiumlevels inKoreanadolescents withrespectto demographic and lifestyle
factors.
Methods: We analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010
to 2013,totaling 1472 adolescents aged 10–18 years. Geometric means of blood cadmium were calculated
using a complex samples general linear model to compare blood levels in different demographic and
lifestyle groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were also used to find predictors for high blood
cadmium (>90th percentile).
Results: The geometric mean of the blood cadmium concentrations was 0.30 g/L in Korean adolescents.
Older age, type of housing (multifamily house and commercial building), smoking and alcohol consumption,
and iron deficiency/iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were significantly associated with higher blood
cadmium concentrations (P < 0.05). Blood cadmium concentrations were not significantly affected by
gender, region, body mass index status, or household income. In multivariate logistic regression analysis,
independent predictors for higher blood cadmium levels included current smoker (OR = 7.77), alcohol
consumption (OR = 4.31), living in a multifamily house or commercial building (OR = 3.11–3.46), and IDA
(OR = 2.64).
Conclusions: Possible associations between blood cadmium levels and type of housing or alcohol consumption
in adolescents are suggested for the first time in this study. Further studies are needed to
elucidate the mechanism of these findings.