It has been recognized for some years in the U.S. that lead may pose a significant health risk, especially to children. Lead poisoning has been associated with several developmental disorders, especially lowering of the IQ and lowering the rate of intellectual development. Children are at greater risk than adults, as lead is absorbed into the blood stream in much higher amounts, particularly when items containing lead are placed in the mouth. Although the U.S. has a strict ban on painting toys with lead paint, Mattel imports most of its products from other countries, including many Asian countries, where the restrictions are less stringent. There have in recent years been several instances which have come to light in which lead paint has been used to paint toys released by major manufacturers, including Mattel. This forced Mattel to issue a recall on a large number of toys in 2007, which were contaminated with lead during the manufacturing process in China.