Urinary cadmium and growth faltering in children aged 3–6 years: A nationwide cross-sectional study from China

Key Points

• Growth faltering is linked to higher urinary cadmium levels among children aged 3–6 years, highlighting a health concern.
• A significant correlation was found, with children in the highest exposure group showing 1.5 times greater risk of growth issues.
• Observational cross-sectional study analyzed urine samples from thousands of children across China to assess environmental exposures.
• These findings suggest the need for public health interventions to reduce cadmium exposure and support child growth.