Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 14, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Umbilical cord serum PBDE concentrations and child adiposity measures at 7 years
Jianqiu Guo1, Wenbin Miao1, Chunhua Wu1
1School of Public Health/ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/ Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), specifically BDE-153 and BDE-154, was linked to lower childhood adiposity measures at age 7. These findings suggest a potential protective effect against obesity in boys.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widespread environmental contaminants.
- Toxicological data suggest PBDEs may disrupt adipogenic pathways.
- Limited human studies have investigated the link between in utero PBDE exposure and childhood adiposity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between prenatal PBDE concentrations in cord serum and adiposity indicators in children at age 7.
- To explore potential sex-specific effects of PBDE exposure on childhood adiposity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of nine PBDE congeners in cord serum from 318 mother-child pairs using GC-NCI-MS.
- Measurement of children's anthropometric indicators (weight, height, waist circumference) at age 7.
- Calculation of BMI z-scores using WHO standards and application of multivariate regression models to assess associations.
Main Results:
- BDE-209 was the most abundant PBDE congener detected.
- Cord serum concentrations of BDE-153 and BDE-154 were associated with lower BMI z-scores and waist circumference in children at age 7.
- Prenatal exposure to BDE-154 was linked to a reduced risk of obesity, particularly observed in boys.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to specific PBDE congeners (BDE-153 and BDE-154) may be associated with reduced adiposity in early childhood.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term impacts of prenatal PBDE exposure on child development.
- Sex-specific effects warrant further investigation in future studies.
Background:
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) exist extensively in the environment. Toxicological studies suggested PBDEs may interfere with adipogenic pathways. However, few human evidence addressed PBDE exposures in utero related to childhood adiposity.
Objective:
We assessed associations between PBDEs concentrations in cord serum and childhood adiposity measures at 7 years.
Methods:
Among 318 mother-child pairs from Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS) in China, nine PBDE congener concentrations were quantified in umbilical cord serum using gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS). Anthropometric indicators of children aged 7 years were measured, including weight, height and waist circumference. Age and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) z scores were calculated based on World Health Organization (WHO)'s child growth standards. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models adjusted for putative confounders were performed to examine associations between PBDE congeners and adiposity parameters.
Results:
BDE-209 was the most abundant congener of PBDEs with a median value of 19.5 ng/g lipid. The geometric mean values of nine PBDE congeners ranged from below limit of detection (LOD) to 18.1 ng/g lipid, and the detection rates were 46.5%~96.5%. Cord serum BDE-153 and BDE-154 concentrations were associated with lower childhood BMI z score (regression coefficient, β=-0.15, 95% confidence interval: -0.29, -0.02; p=0.02; β=-0.23, 95%CI: -0.43, -0.03; p=0.03, respectively) and lower waist circumference (β=-0.75 cm, 95%CI: -1.43, -0.06; p=0.03; β=-1.22 cm, 95%CI: -2.23, -0.21; p=0.02, respectively), after controlling for potential confounders. Moreover, prenatal BDE-154 exposure was related to a decreased obesity risk of children aged 7 years (odds ratio, OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.22, 0.94; p=0.03). These effects were only observed among boys in sex-straitified analyses.
Conclusions:
Cord serum BDE-153 and BDE-154 concentrations were related to reduced adiposity measures at 7 years of age. Further evidence regarding the impacts of prenatal PBDE exposures on childhood development is warranted.
