A study led by the North Dakota Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that people eating wild game harvested with lead bullets seem to have higher levels of lead in their blood that those who don’t.

“Statistically, those who had consumption of wild game harvested with lead bullets had an average of 0.3 micrograms per deciliter (blood lead level) higher than those who did not,” said Dr. Stephen Pickard, epidemiologist for the North Dakota Department of Health who works with the state health department.

The levels were not dangerous. However, North Dakota health officials said pregnant women and young children should avoid eating meat from wild game killed with lead bullets.

"Children under 6 are particularly vulnerable because their brains are still developing," Pickard said. Also, pregnant women could lose their babies or deliver them prematurely.

The study is the first to connect lead traces in game with higher lead levels in the blood of game eaters, said Dr. Pickard.

Exposure to high levels of lead is especially harmful for infants, young children and pregnant women. Among its effects are delayed mental and physical development and learning deficiencies. Moreover, two studies published in May this year in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine revealed that children exposed to lead early in life are likely to develop criminal behavior in adulthood.

The studies also found that, despite the efforts of the federal government and cities to minimize exposure to lead, this continues to be a problem.