A new study suggests prenatal exposure to "forever chemicals" like PFAS may increase the risk of obesity in 10-year-olds, especially among girls.
Pamela Ferdinand reports for U.S. Right To Know.
In short:
- Researchers found prenatal PFAS exposure linked to higher obesity risk, particularly in girls, with PFNA and PFOS chemicals as key drivers.
- The study analyzed 464 children and found significant associations between higher PFAS levels and increased body fat, waist circumference and BMI.
- More research is needed to understand the biological mechanisms behind this connection.
Key quote:
“Exposure to higher levels of PFAS mixtures during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of obesity in girls.”
— New study led by Zhang Weng and colleagues at Fudan University in Shanghai, China
Why this matters:
PFAS chemicals persist in the environment and accumulate in the human body, posing long-term health risks. Evidence linking prenatal PFAS exposure to childhood obesity could have significant public health implications, especially given the widespread use of these chemicals.
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