Prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals affects development

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Childhood obesity rates have skyrocketed worldwide. Over 340 million children and young people are now considered overweight or obese. The health impacts of this epidemic are far-reaching, ranging from cardiovascular disease and diabetes to psychological effects such as low self-esteem. Scientists have been searching for answers to the rapid increase. A new study suggests that prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals may contribute to unhealthy weight gain in children.

The study, conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, analyzed how exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the womb can alter growth patterns in early childhood. EDCs such as phthalates, bisphenols, and pesticides are found in many everyday items, including:

  • Plastics
  • cosmetics
  • Tin cans
  • And more

The research team wanted to shed light on whether these chemical exposures could influence changes in body mass index (BMI) in children from birth to age 9.

Tracking chemical exposures and BMI in children

Researchers measured the concentrations of various EDCs in urine and blood samples from 1,911 pregnant Spanish women. This provided insight into real-world chemical exposure during pregnancy.

After birth, the team monitored the children’s BMI at several points as they grew older:

1st birth
2. 1 year
3. 4 years
4. 7 years
5. 9 years

At age 9, they were able to analyze how each child’s BMI changed compared to their mothers’ chemical exposure profiles during pregnancy. The study was uniquely comprehensive, evaluating not just individual chemicals, but a broad spectrum of EDCs and their mixtures.

Relationships between certain chemicals and growth changes

Statistical analysis revealed associations between exposure to certain EDCs and abnormal BMI growth patterns. Some compounds such as hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were bound to both:

  • Lower birth weight
  • Accelerated weight gain later in childhood
  • Others appeared to experience enlargement at birth, which was associated with an excessive postnatal BMI increase.

Interestingly, looking at chemical mixtures also showed a higher risk of accelerated BMI trajectories when multiple EDCs were combined, even if the individual exposures were small. This suggests a cumulative effect of overall chemical exposure.

Health effects of accelerated weight gain

The findings are further evidence that childhood obesity and related health problems may be due in part to environmental chemicals, even before birth.
Rapid weight gain in early childhood is associated with a higher risk of:

  • Obesity in adults
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • diabetes
  • Other problems

Further research is needed to confirm the associations suggested in this study and to understand health impacts across the lifespan. However, the authors say this highlights the need for measures that reduce exposure to potentially harmful EDCs at vulnerable developmental stages.

Diploma

This new research sheds light on how prenatal exposure to everyday chemicals found in foods, plastics and cosmetics can alter children’s growth patterns by accelerating BMI increases.

Although further studies are needed, this highlights the role that environmental factors may play in the global obesity epidemic.

It also suggests that reducing chemical exposure for pregnant women and young children could be a promising way to improve long-term health outcomes.