We found age and sex differences in the association between urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and body weight outcomes. Reverse causation cannot be excluded since overweight and obese people will have more fat mass, they may store more phthalates, thus leading to higher excretion concentrations.

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known carcinogens and suspected endocrine disruptors. Prenatal exposure to PAHs has been associated with obesity in early childhood.Objective: We examined the association of urinary PAH metabolites with adiposity outcomes [body mass index (BMI) z-score, waist circumference (WC), and rate of obesity] in children and adolescents.Methods: We performed whole-sample analyses of 3,189 individuals 6–19 years of age who participated in the 2001–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We performed multivariate linear and logistic regression to analyze the association of BMI z-score, WC, and obesity with concentrations of single urinary PAH compounds and the sum of PAHs. Furthermore, the analyses were stratified by developmental stage [i.e., children (6–11 years) and adolescents (12–19 years)].Results: BMI z-score, WC, and obesity were positively associated with the molecular mass sum of the PAHs and the total sum of naphthalene metabolites. Most associations increased monotonically with increasing quartiles of exposure among children 6–11 years of age, whereas dose–response trends were less consistent for adolescents (12–19 years of age). Neither total PAHs nor total naphthalene metabolites were associated with overweight in either age group, and there was little evidence of associations between the outcomes and individual PAHs.Conclusions: Total urinary PAH metabolites and naphthalene metabolites were associated with higher BMI, WC, and obesity in children 6–11 years of age, with positive but less consistent associations among adolescents.Citation: Scinicariello F, Buser MC. 2014. Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and childhood obesity: NHANES (2001–2006). Environ Health Perspect 122:299–303; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307234

Background Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are widespread environmental contaminants that are known nephrotoxins. However, their nephrotoxic effects at low-environmental exposure levels are debated. Objective We examined the association of blood Pb (B-Pb), blood Cd (B-Cd), urinary Pb (U-Pb) and urinary Cd (U-Cd) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin (ALB). Methods We used multivariate linear regression to analyze the association between B-Pb, B-Cd, U-Pb, and U-Cd with eGFR and ALB in adult participants (≥20 years of age) in NHANES 2007–2012. The dataset was limited to NHANES individuals with both blood and urinary metal measurements. Results We found a statistically significant inverse association between eGFR and B-Cd and statistically significant positive associations between eGFR and both U-Cd and U-Pb, as well as statistically significant associations between ALB and the 3rd and 4th quartiles of U-Cd. Conclusions The inverse association between eGFR and B-Cd, in conjunction with positive associations between eGFR and ALB with U-Cd, suggest that U-Cd measurement at low levels of exposure may result from changes in renal excretion of Cd due to kidney function and protein excretion. However, renal effects such as hyperfiltration from Cd-mediated kidney damage or creatinine-specific Cd effects cannot be excluded with this cross-sectional design.

Background:Exposure to environmental phenols (e.g., bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, and triclosan) and parabens is widespread in the population. Many of these chemicals have been shown to have anti-androgenic effects both in vitro and in vivo.Objective:We examined the association of bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), triclosan (TCS), and parabens with serum total testosterone (TT) levels in child and adolescent participants (ages 6–19 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2012.Methods:We performed multivariable linear regression to estimate associations between natural log–transformed serum TT and quartiles of urinary BPA, BP-3, TCS, and parabens in male and female children (ages 6–11 years) and adolescents (ages 12–19 years).Results:BP-3 and BPA were associated with significantly lower TT in male adolescents, and BPA was associated with significantly higher TT in female adolescents. TT was not consistently associated with TCS or total parabens in children or adolescents of either sex.Conclusions:To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association of both BP-3 and BPA with serum TT in adolescents. Associations between BPA and TT differed according to sex in adolescents, with inverse associations in boys and positive associations in girls. BP-3 was associated with significantly lower TT in adolescent boys only. However, because of the limitations inherent to the cross-sectional study design, further studies are needed to confirm and elucidate on our findings.Citation:Scinicariello F, Buser MC. 2016. Serum testosterone concentrations and urinary bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, triclosan, and paraben levels in male and female children and adolescents: NHANES 2011–2012. Environ Health Perspect 124:1898–1904; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP150

BLLs are associated with lower body mass index and obesity in children, adolescents and adults.

We found an association between dichlorophenols and increased body weight measures (BMI z-score, WC, and obesity) in adolescents. However, further studies, such as a longitudinal study, are needed to confirm and elucidate on our findings.

No abstract

Background Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of depression and several studies have noted an association between tobacco smoke and depression. Cadmium is a neurotoxicant, and the main source of non-occupational exposure is tobacco smoke. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from 2892 young adult (20-39 years) participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010. Multivariate logistic regressions – adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, poverty-income ratio, obesity, alcohol intake, blood lead, and smoking status – were used to analyze the association between blood cadmium and depressive symptoms, as determined by score on the PHQ-9. Results Individuals in the highest quartile of blood cadmium had higher odds of having depressive symptoms (OR=2.79; 95% CI, 1.84, 4.25) compared to those in the lowest blood cadmium quartile. Smoking status was statistically significantly associated with depressive symptoms while blood lead was not. Stratification by smoking status found that blood cadmium was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in both non-smokers (OR=2.91; 95% CI, 1.12, 7.58) and current smokers (OR=2.69; 95% CI, 1.13, 6.42). Conclusions This is the first study reporting an association of blood cadmium levels with depressive symptoms using a nationally representative sample. The association of cadmium with depressive symptoms was independent of smoking status. If this association is further confirmed, the continued efforts at reducing cadmium exposures, mainly through tobacco smoking cessation programs, may decrease the incidence of depression.