Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pediatric obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
Our review found no evidence of a positive association between prenatal PFAS exposure and pediatric obesity, whereas an inverse association was found for postnatal exposure. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of studies. Future research that can inform on the effects of exposure mixtures, the timing of the exposure, outcome measures, and the shape of the exposure-response curve is needed.
Study context
- Population
- Children up to 12 years of age with individual-level PFAS and anthropometric data; studies evaluating obesity measures only at birth excluded; six databases searched24 studies
- Comparison
- Prenatal and postnatal PFAS exposure and pediatric obesity measures
- Outcome
- Changes in BMI or waist circumference
Methodological detailsOf Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) quality assessment, subgroups by chemical type and exposure timing, Trim and Fill correction for small-study effects
- OHAT quality assessment
- Subgroups by chemical type and exposure timing
- Trim and Fill correction for small-study effects
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Postnatal PFOS, per log10 increase: Body mass index (BMI) z-score
−0.16 (−0.22, −0.10) (95% CI)
Further pooled results
- No substantial heterogeneity within prenatal and postnatal subgroups
- Modest small-study effects; Trim and Fill correction did not change summary estimate(s)
Original publication
Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pediatric obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 31 October 2023. doi:10.
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