ELI5, Why aren’t people who grew up in the leaded gasoline and lead paint era sick and dying by now ?

Question

Considering lots of people grew up with so much lead exposure in the past and that lead negatively affects every organ in the human body. As well as, the fact that lots of people were being exposed since they were babies, I don’t get how there are plenty of people 80+ years old these days in decent health?

In: 6

Answer 1

The thing is you are seeing the effects. The numbers of 90 + year olds here in the U.K. is steadily increasing – and these are the generation that grew up surrounded by cigarette smoke. In 60 years when 30 year olds now are in their 90s you will see continued increases in life expectancy.