The risk assessment and burden of cancer attributable to dietary cadmium exposure in China, 2019.

Dietary Cadmium (Cd) intake is essential for Cd exposure. However, the burden of cancer attributable to dietary Cd intake remains to be determined in China. To estimate the level of dietary Cd exposure, we merged the Cd concentrations in food from literature and the foods consumption from national dietary surveys. The probabilistic assessment models evaluated dietary Cd exposures across age and area groups. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was utilized to assess the carcinogenic risk of dietary Cd. The cancer burden attributable to dietary Cd exposure was evaluated by a two-stage model, expressed as Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The median dietary Cd exposure in Chinese residents was 0.77 μg/kg·bw. The 0-4 age group and southern areas exhibited the highest exposure of 1.59 μg/kg·bw and 1.64 μg/kg·bw. The ILCRs for the whole population, males and females were 4.99 × 10-3, 4.91 × 10-3 and 5.08 × 10-3, respectively. Grains, meats, and vegetables were identified as the primary sources of dietary Cd intake. The burden of cancer attributable to dietary Cd was 36.58 per 100,000, 6.01 per 100,000, and 4.38 per 100,000 for lung, breast and prostate cancers in China. In conclusion, dietary Cd intake contributes to a proportion of the cancer burden in China. However, excess Cd exposure in younger age groups and southern areas remains a priority for attention to reduce the cancer risk.