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New Study Reveals Complex Relationship Between Organophosphate Esters and Childhood Obesity
A recent study published in the journal Environment International has unveiled a nuanced connection between prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs)—chemicals commonly found in plastics and flame retardants—and childhood obesity risk. Conducted by researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, the study indicates that different OPEs can have opposing effects on obesity risk in children.
The research examined 5,087 mother-child pairs from 14 sites within the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort Study. The team measured levels of OPEs in maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy and tracked the children’s body mass index (BMI) from infancy up to age 10. This analysis focused on pregnancies that took place between 2006 and 2020, a period when OPEs were increasingly used to replace polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants.
Key findings revealed that children aged 5 to 10 years exposed to higher levels of dibutyl phosphate and di-isobutyl phosphate (DBUP/DIBP) during gestation exhibited a 14% increased risk of developing obesity compared to those with the lowest exposure levels. Conversely, maternal exposure to bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) was associated with a 15% reduced risk of obesity in their children, highlighting the complexity of how these chemicals interact with developing bodies.
“We are just beginning to understand how OPE exposure might be connected to obesity. Our findings suggest that the relationship between OPE exposure during pregnancy and childhood obesity is complicated, and more research is needed to look at a wider range of OPE chemicals,” said Assiamira Ferrara, MD, Ph.D., a senior research scientist involved in the study.
OPEs are synthetic chemicals that emerged in the mid-2000s as alternatives to PBDEs, and previous studies have raised concerns about their potential to disrupt hormonal systems and contribute to obesity.
The researchers emphasize the need for further investigations to explore the long-term effects of OPEs on child health. “These findings underscore the need for further research to inform public health programs and regulatory policies aimed at mitigating childhood obesity risks from environmental chemical exposures,” stated Alicia K. Peterson, Ph.D., a staff scientist at Kaiser Permanente.
As the implications of these findings unfold, they could play a crucial role in shaping guidelines for pregnant individuals and informing policies designed to protect future generations from potential environmental health hazards.
For more details, refer to the full study by Alicia K. Peterson et al., titled “Gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and risk of childhood obesity in the environmental influences on child health outcomes consortium,” published in Environment International (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109071.
