Study Links Prenatal Chemical Exposure to Increased Childhood Metabolic Syndrome Risk
A study published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that exposure to widespread chemical exposure such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals in pregnancy may be associated with adverse metabolic health in children.
Metabolic Syndrome represents a cluster of multiple factors associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes (T2D), including abdominal obesity, hypertension, and insulin resistance, affecting 1 in 4 adults worldwide.
Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during fetal development, a critical period of increased susceptibility and programming, may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome later in life.
EDCs are a class of environmental pollutants with the ability to cross the blood-placenta barrier and interfere with human metabolism and hormonal balance. These include pesticides, metals, plasticizers such as phthalates and phenols, and other widely used chemicals.
While previous research has examined associations of prenatal EDC exposure with separate components of metabolic syndrome in children, comprehensive studies on overall cardiometabolic risk remain limited.
The study used data from the Human Early Life Exposome cohort, focusing on mother-child pairs with prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and complete data on childhood metabolic syndrome risk factors. Data were analysed from October 2022 to July 2023.
Researchers measured endocrine-disrupting chemicals in urine and blood samples during pregnancy. When the children were 6 to 11 years old, a metabolic syndrome risk score was created using waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and insulin levels.
The results showed that maternal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during pregnancy, particularly metals and pesticides, was linked to higher metabolic syndrome risk scores in childhood.
The findings highlighted the importance of evaluating health risks associated with EDC mixtures. By identifying child molecular phenotypes associated with EDC mixtures and underlying Metabolic Syndrome, this study may support future early identification of EDC-exposed paediatric populations at risk for Metabolic Syndrome development.
Reference: Güil-Oumrait N, Stratakis N, Maitre L, et al. Prenatal Exposure to Chemical Mixtures and Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Children. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(5):e2412040. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12040
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