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Relationship between urinary bisphenol A levels and diabetes mellitus
Anoop Shankar1, Srinivas Teppala
1Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 9190, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-9190, USA. ashankar@hsc.wvu.edu
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|September 30, 2011
Summary
Higher urinary Bisphenol A (BPA) levels are linked to increased diabetes mellitus risk in adults. This association persists even after accounting for common risk factors, suggesting BPA as a potential environmental contributor to diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous industrial chemical found in plastics and resins.
- Animal studies suggest BPA exposure may influence weight gain, insulin resistance, and endocrine disruption, potentially contributing to diabetes.
- Limited human research exists on the link between BPA exposure markers and diabetes mellitus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between urinary BPA levels and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a US adult population.
- To determine if this association is independent of established diabetes risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2008.
- Urinary BPA levels were categorized into quartiles.
- Diabetes mellitus was defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria.
Main Results:
- A significant positive association was observed between higher quartiles of urinary BPA and diabetes mellitus.
- This association remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, BMI, and serum cholesterol.
- The odds of diabetes increased with higher BPA levels, evident in both normal-weight and overweight/obese individuals.
Conclusions:
- Urinary BPA levels are independently associated with diabetes mellitus.
- Findings suggest BPA may be an environmental factor contributing to diabetes risk.
- Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.
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