Plasma Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Body Composition From Mid-Childhood to Early Adolescence

Context Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may alter body composition by lowering anabolic hormones and increasing inflammation, but data are limited, particularly in adolescence when body composition is rapidly changing. Objective To evaluate associations of PFAS plasma concentrations in childhood with change in body composition through early adolescence. Methods A total of 537 children in the Boston-area Project Viva cohort participated in this study. We used multivariable linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to examine associations of plasma concentrations of 6 PFAS, quantified by mass spectrometry, in mid-childhood (mean age, 7.9 years; 2007-2010) with change in body composition measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry from mid-childhood to early adolescence (mean age, 13.1 years). Results In single-PFAS linear regression models, children with higher concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) had less accrual of lean mass (eg, -0.33 [95% CI: -0.52, -0.13] kg/m(2) per doubling of PFOA). Children with higher PFOS and PFHxS had less accrual of total and truncal fat mass (eg, -0.32 [95% CI: -0.54, -0.11] kg/m(2) total fat mass per doubling of PFOS), particularly subcutaneous fat mass (eg, -17.26 [95% CI -32.25, -2.27] g/m(2) per doubling of PFOS). Children with higher PFDA and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) had greater accrual of visceral fat mass (eg, 0.44 [95% CI: 0.13, 0.75] g/m(2) per doubling of PFDA). Results from BKMR mixture models were consistent with linear regression analyses. Conclusion Early life exposure to some but not all PFAS may be associated with adverse changes in body composition.

Automated summary

The study found that early life exposure to some PFAS may be associated with adverse changes in body composition, but not all PFAS have the same effect.