Bolormaa Erdenetuya, Kim Kyuwon, Jhang Hoyol, Cho Yong Min, Enkhbat Undarmaa, Choe Seung-Ah
Department of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
Department of Nano, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seokyeong University, Seoul, South Korea.
Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Jun 16;184(7):421. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06255-w.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between environmental chemicals and anthropometric indices using preliminary data from the Puberty and Environment in Adolescents Cohort Project. Random urine samples from 370 Korean girls aged 7-14 years were evaluated for 15 environmental phthalates, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites, and three heavy metals using growth metrics. We calculated the body mass index (BMI) z-score, weight z-score, height z-score, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) based on the World Health Organization growth references. Associations between environmental chemicals and weight and height indicators were assessed using single- and mixture-exposure models, controlling for the measured covariates. We identified 28 girls (7.6%) as overweight, 10 (2.7%) as underweight based on BMI z-scores, 17 (4.6%) as underweight based on weight z-scores, and 6 (1.6%) as having a low height status. Normal anthropometric measurements were reported in 85.9% of the girls. No positive associations between environmental chemical mixtures and BMI z-score, weight z-score, or WHR (β = -0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.34, 0.26; -0.23, 95% CI: -0.51, 0.06; -0.00, 95% CI: -0.02, 0.02) were observed. A negative association was identified between environmental phthalate, phenol, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites, and height z-score (β = -0.41, 95% CI: -0.63, -0.19). Heavy metal mixtures were negatively associated with weight and height z-scores (β = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.37 to -0.04; -0.21, 95% CI: -0.40 to -0.03).
Exposure to environmental chemical mixtures was negatively associated with height in girls. The different patterns of association observed in the single and mixture analyses provide insights into the health impacts of multiple chemicals on children.
• Environmental chemical mixtures including phenols, phthalates, PAHs, and heavy metals are associated with abnormal growth in children. • Exposure to these mixtures may influence body mass index and other anthropometric measures throughout childhood.
• This study evaluated the effects of environmental chemical mixtures on anthropometric indices in Korean adolescent girls, using a mixture-exposure approach. • Exposure to phthalates, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals was inversely associated with height, whereas associations with body mass index, weight, or waist-to-hip ratio were not observed.
本研究旨在利用青少年青春期与环境队列项目的初步数据，调查环境化学物质与人体测量指标之间的关联。对370名7至14岁韩国女孩的随机尿液样本进行检测，以评估15种环境邻苯二甲酸盐、酚类、多环芳烃代谢物和三种重金属，并使用生长指标进行分析。我们根据世界卫生组织的生长参考标准计算了体重指数（BMI）z评分、体重z评分、身高z评分和腰臀比（WHR）。使用单暴露和混合暴露模型评估环境化学物质与体重和身高指标之间的关联，并对测量的协变量进行控制。根据BMI z评分，我们确定28名女孩（7.6%）超重，10名（2.7%）体重过轻；根据体重z评分，17名（4.6%）体重过轻；6名（1.6%）身高状况较低。85.9%的女孩人体测量结果正常。未观察到环境化学物质混合物与BMI z评分、体重z评分或WHR之间存在正相关（β = -0.03，95%置信区间[CI]：-0.34，0.26；-0.23，95% CI：-0.51，0.06；-0.00，95% CI：-0.02，0.02）。发现环境邻苯二甲酸盐、酚类和多环芳烃代谢物与身高z评分之间存在负相关（β = -0.41，95% CI：-0.63，-0.19）。重金属混合物与体重和身高z评分呈负相关（β = -0.20，95% CI：-0.37至-0.04；-0.21，95% CI：-0.40至-0.03）。
女孩接触环境化学物质混合物与身高呈负相关。在单暴露和混合暴露分析中观察到的不同关联模式，为多种化学物质对儿童健康的影响提供了见解。
• 包括酚类、邻苯二甲酸盐、多环芳烃和重金属在内的环境化学物质混合物与儿童生长异常有关。• 在整个儿童期接触这些混合物可能会影响体重指数和其他人体测量指标。
• 本研究采用混合暴露方法，评估了环境化学物质混合物对韩国青春期女孩人体测量指标的影响。• 接触邻苯二甲酸盐、酚类、多环芳烃和重金属与身高呈负相关，而未观察到与体重指数、体重或腰臀比之间的关联。
