Environ Health Perspect

Abstract

Background:Prenatal exposure to endocrine disruptors has been associated with increased risk of childhood obesity. However, epidemiologic studies on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are limited despite animal studies indicating PBDEs\ue2\u20ac\u2122 potential role as an obesogen.Objectives:We investigated whether maternal concentrations of BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, and \uce\ua3PBDEs during pregnancy were associated with anthropometric measures in children aged 1\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years.Methods:We examined 318 mother\ue2\u20ac\u201cchild pairs in the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a birth cohort enrolled from 2003 through 2006 (Cincinnati, OH). Serum PBDEs were measured at 16 \uc2\ub1 3 weeks gestation. We measured child height (1\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years), weight (1\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years), body mass index (BMI) (2\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years), waist circumference (4\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years), and body fat (8 years). To account for repeated measures, we used linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations to estimate associations between maternal PBDEs and child anthropometric measures.Results:We found no statistically significant associations between prenatal PBDEs and height or weight z-score. A 10-fold increase in maternal serum BDE-153 was associated with lower BMI z-score (\uce\ub2 = \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.36; 95% CI: \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.60, \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.13) at 2\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years, smaller waist circumference (\uce\ub2 = \ue2\u20ac\u201c1.81 cm; 95% CI: \ue2\u20ac\u201c3.13, \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.50) at 4\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years, and lower percent body fat (\uce\ub2 = \ue2\u20ac\u201c2.37%; 95% CI: \ue2\u20ac\u201c4.21, \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.53) at 8 years. A decrease in waist circumference at 4\ue2\u20ac\u201c8 years was observed with a 10-fold increase in BDE-100 (\uce\ub2 = \ue2\u20ac\u201c1.50 cm; 95% CI: \ue2\u20ac\u201c2.93, \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.08) and \uce\ua3PBDEs (\uce\ub2 = \ue2\u20ac\u201c1.57 cm; 95% CI: \ue2\u20ac\u201c3.11, \ue2\u20ac\u201c0.02).Conclusions:Reverse causality may have resulted in prenatal PBDEs, particularly BDE-153, and decreased BMI, waist circumference, and body fat.Citation:Vuong AM, Braun JM, Sj\uc3\ub6din A, Webster GM, Yolton K, Lanphear BP, Chen A. 2016. Prenatal polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure and body mass index in children up to 8 years of age. Environ Health Perspect 124:1891\ue2\u20ac\u201c1897;\ue2\u20ac\u201ahttp://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP139R00 ES020346/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United StatesP01 ES011261/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United StatesP30 ES006096/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United StatesR01 ES014575/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United StatesR01 ES020349/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United States27285825PMC513262