Association between bisphenol A exposure and adiposity measures in children

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that has adverse effects on human health and may cause childhood obesity. Nevertheless, the association between BPA exposure and adiposity measures in children remains controversial, especially in young children. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 208 randomly selected children 4 to 6 years old attending preschools in Guangzhou, China. BPA exposure was assessed through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of urinary samples. Childhood adiposity measures were determined, including body mass index, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, and upper arm circumference. BPA was detected in all urinary samples, and the median urinary BPA concentration was 0.54 (interquartile range, 0.05-5.81) μg/L. In the adjusted models, children with higher urinary BPA concentrations had a higher body mass index z-score (β = 0.471; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.303, 0.640), and they were at a greater risk of overweight or obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 3.308; 95% CI: 2.151, 5.089). Higher urinary BPA concentrations were associated with an elevated waist-to-height ratio (β = 0.007; 95% CI: 0.002, 0.012), and they were at a higher risk of abdominal obesity (OR = 1.711; 95% CI: 1.102, 2.655). Higher urinary BPA concentrations were also associated with increased upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness in the adjusted models (β = 0.546; 95% CI: 0.278, 0.813; β = 0.702; 95% CI: 0.139, 1.266, respectively). Higher urinary BPA concentrations in children 4 to 6 years old were associated with a greater risk of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity. BPA exposure might increase the risk of obesity in children. Further investigations are needed to confirm this association and explore the underlying mechanisms.