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Lactational Exposure to Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Its Relation to Early Childhood Anthropometric

Kate Hoffman1, Michelle Mendez, Anna Maria Siega-Riz

  • 1UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|May 7, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk showed no overall association with early childhood growth. Sex-specific analyses revealed some associations, particularly with weight-for-height z-scores in boys and girls, warranting further research.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widespread environmental contaminants.
  • PBDEs may impact child growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the link between PBDEs in breast milk and early childhood anthropometric measurements.
  • Investigate associations with weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height z-scores.

Main Methods:

  • Followed a North Carolina cohort (PIN Babies study) through 36 months of age.
  • Analyzed breast milk for five PBDE congeners.
  • Collected anthropometric data from 246 children, adjusting for multiple covariates and stratifying by sex.

Main Results:

  • No significant overall association between PBDEs in breast milk and anthropometric measures.
  • Inverse association between PBDEs and weight-for-height z-scores observed in boys, but imprecisely estimated.
  • Girls showed a tendency towards increased weight-for-height z-scores with PBDE exposure, except for BDE-153.

Conclusions:

  • Limited evidence for PBDE-associated anthropometric changes in early childhood via lactation.
  • Results suggest the need for sex-specific analyses in larger populations to confirm findings.
Abstract

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