Exposure to toxic “forever chemicals” during pregnancy can lead to a lower birth weight followed later by obesity -- similar to the results of prenatal exposure to tobacco.
“Something similar is going on with PFAS,” said Joe Braun, a Brown University researcher and study co-author, inPFAS is a group of about 15,000 chemicals that are added to a wide range of consumer products. They have been linked to serious health issues, including a higher risk of cancer, thyroid disease and birth defects. They do not naturally break down in the environment and have even been found in all 30,000 umbilical cord blood samples in a collection of studies.
“Though previous research found evidence suggesting the chemicals are linked to obesity early and later in life, including some research from the new study’s authors, the findings were generally inconclusive,” The Guardian wrote. “The authors say the new research is more definitive because it included a larger sample size, greater geographic coverage, longer timespan and a wider range of exposure levels.
Braun said that babies born underweight because of PFAS can catch up quickly in weight but not height -- with the weight gain coming sooner for kids who will not be a normal weight. A similar process happens with kids whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.Environmental Health Perspectives: “Associations of Gestational Perfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure with Early Childhood BMI z-Scores and Risk of Overweight/Obesity: Results from the ECHO Cohorts.”© 2023 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How can I avoid eating food with ‘forever’ chemicals?Across the country, states are banning forever chemicals from consumer products, and some companies are promising to phase out use of the compounds. Here's steps you can take to minimize exposure from the foods you eat.
Read more »
Ukraine dam’s destruction could ‘forever’ change ecosystems, officials sayThe destruction of a major dam and power plant on the front lines of the war in Ukraine may dry up the rich agricultural region in the south, sweep pollutants into waterways and upend ecosystems around the massive reservoir now rapidly flooding downstream.
Read more »
Polygon (MATIC) Nailwal: zkEVM Launch Changes World ForeverSandeep Nailwal, founder of top EVM blockchain Polygon (MATIC), foresees 'hyper-blockchainization'
Read more »
Sgt. Slaughter Emotional Over Iron Sheik's Death, 'I Love You Forever'Sgt. Slaughter is opening up on the passing of his longtime friend, WWE legend The Iron Sheik.
Read more »