Longitudinal Associations of Exposure to Perfluoroalkylated Substances in Childhood and Adolescence and Indicators of Adiposity and Glucose Metabolism 6 and 12 Years Later: The European Youth Heart Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo investigate the long-term association of exposure to perfluoroalkylated substances, including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), during childhood (9 years) and adolescence (15 years) on indicators of adiposity and glucose metabolism in adolescence (15 years) and young adulthood (21 years). Secondarily, we aim to clarify the degree of tracking of exposure from childhood into young adulthood. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSData derived from a large multicenter prospective cohort study, in which the same participants have been observed from childhood (N = 590), during adolescence (N = 444), and into young adulthood (N = 369). Stored plasma samples were analyzed for PFOS and PFOA. Indicators of adiposity comprising body height, body weight, sum of four skinfolds, and waist circumference, as well as indicators of glucose metabolism, comprising fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and insulin levels, b-cell function, and insulin resistance, have been collected at all study waves. Multiple linear regression was applied in order to model earlier exposure on later outcome while controlling for baseline outcome levels, sex, age, and socioeconomic factors. RESULTSChildhood exposure to PFOS was associated with indicators of adiposity at 15 years of age that are displayed in elevated BMI, skinfold thickness, and waist circumference, as well as increased skinfold thickness and waist circumference at 21 years of age. PFOA exposure in childhood was associated with decreased b-cell function at 15 years of age. We did not observe associations between exposure during adolescence and indicators of adiposity and glucose metabolism in young adulthood. CONCLUSIONSThis study found evidence for childhood exposure to PFOS and PFOA predicting adiposity at 15 and 21 years of age and impaired b-cell function at 15 years of age, respectively.

Perfluoroalkyl substances and glycemic status in pregnant Danish women: The Odense Child Cohort

“…Previous studies have suggested prenatal PFAS concentrations to be related with BMI (34,35). As such, BMI may arguably be considered an intermediate factor on the causal pathway between PFAS and glycemic status.…”

Evaluation of Maternal, Embryo, and Placental Effects in CD-1 Mice following Gestational Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) or Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (HFPO-DA or GenX)

“…Several human cohort studies have shown that higher levels of prenatal or early-life PFOA exposure is associated with increased adiposity in childhood (Braun et al 2016;Fleisch et al 2017) and metabolic disruption in young adulthood (Domazet et al 2016). Additionally, it is known that low birth weight is associated with adult diseases, including metabolic syndrome in both humans and animals (Barker 2004).…”

Perfluoroalkyl substances and changes in body weight and resting metabolic rate in response to weight-loss diets: A prospective study

“…In addition, the causes of weight change are likely heterogeneous (including diet, physical activity, and medications) and often not well understood in observational studies. Prospective evidence linking PFAS exposure with body weight regulation was primarily from studies that examined prenatal or early life exposures to PFASs in relation to body weight later in life, and the results were somewhat mixed [ 21 – 27 , 48 , 49 ]. For example, in 3 birth cohort studies conducted in European populations, maternal concentrations of PFASs were significantly associated with offspring body weight and other anthropometric and metabolic traits, primarily among girls [ 21 , 23 , 25 ].…”