Prenatal Exposure to Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and Obesity at 9 Years of Age in the CHAMACOS Study Cohort

Abstract

In-utero exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite dichlorodiphenylethylene (DDE), has been hypothesized to increase the risk of obesity later in life. We examined the associations of maternal serum concentrations of DDT and DDE during pregnancy with body mass index, obesity, waist circumference, and percentage of body fat in 9-year-old children (n = 261) in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study in the Salinas Valley, California (2000-2010). We found associations between prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE and several measures of obesity at 9 years of age in boys but not in girls. For example, among boys, 10-fold increases in prenatal DDT and DDE concentrations were associated with increased odds of becoming overweight or obese (for o,p'-DDT, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 6.3; for p,p'-DDT, adjusted OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.5; and for p,p'-DDE, adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.94, 4.13). The odds ratios for girls were nonsignificant. Results were similar for body mass index z score, waist circumference z score, and odds of increased waist circumference but were less consistent for percentage of body fat. The difference by sex persisted after considering pubertal status. These results provide support for the chemical obesogen hypothesis.

Adipose Tissue as a Site of Toxin Accumulation

“…Similar to PCBs and TCDD, there appear to be different effects between genders, as some studies found associations with obesity in females but not in males(95) (101) (408). Conversely, two studies found effects on BMI, waist circumference, and overweight and obesity at 9 years (423) and weight at 14 years (127) in males but not in females. Additionally, an association between prenatal DDE and BMI z-score and rapid growth that was seen in both sexes was stronger in boys (265).…”

“…Fifteen of 24 studies that investigated DDE exposures found positive associations between prenatal and early exposure to DDE and measures of obesity including BMI (189) (402) (414) (265) (189) (95) (423), weight (174) (189) (127), overweight (21, 408), rapid growth (265) (407), and waist circumference (383, 402) (101, 423). Only one 4-year study on Russian boys aged 6–8 years found a negative association between DDE and BMI (58).…”

Adverse effects of weight loss: Are persistent organic pollutants a potential culprit?

“…DDT can also be converted into biomethylsulfonyl metabolites, which are known to be potent toxic agents, particularly when reaching the adrenal gland. In addition, there is evidence to suggest that DDT plays an important role in the development of obesity [5,43,44]. DDT and its metabolites are thereafter eliminated mainly via urine and to a lesser extend in feces [45] as well as in breast milk [46].…”

Childhood Residential and Agricultural Pesticide Exposures in Relation to Adult-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis in Women

“…Most research on prenatal and earlylife DDT exposure has focused on outcomes such as obesity, neurodevelopment, and breast cancer (37)(38)(39). However, shared mechanisms may provide links to RA; for example, endocrine disruption, inflammation, and stress response (40)(41)(42).…”