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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Identifying Per- and Polyfluorinated Chemical Species with a Combined Targeted and Non-Targeted-Screening High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Workflow
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Serum perfluoroalkyl substances and growth and development in US adolescents: a nationally representative

Yi-Fan Wang1,2, Xu-Ran Zhang2, Ying-Xue Zou3

  • 1Clinical School of Paediatrics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|August 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are linked to decreased weight and BMI in adolescents. These effects on weight are sex-specific, highlighting potential developmental impacts of PFAS exposure in youth.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Widespread exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) raises concerns about adverse health effects, particularly in children.
  • Existing research on PFAS and child development primarily focuses on early life, with mixed findings and some evidence of sex differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between serum PFAS levels and growth indicators (weight, height, BMI) in adolescents.
  • To add to the current body of research by examining PFAS effects on adolescent development.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
  • Employed multiple linear regression analysis to assess relationships between serum PFAS levels and anthropometric measurements in adolescents aged 12-19 years.
  • Adjusted for relevant covariates in the statistical models.

Main Results:

  • Serum perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was associated with decreased weight-for-age z-scores in adolescent females.
  • Serum perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) was associated with decreased weight-for-age z-scores in adolescent males.
  • Serum PFOS was also linked to a decreased BMI z-score across all adolescent participants.

Conclusions:

  • PFAS exposure is negatively associated with weight and BMI in adolescents.
  • The observed negative association between PFAS and weight during adolescence is sex-specific.

Keywords:
AdolescentGrowth and developmentPFASPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

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