Gestational exposure to organophosphate esters and adiposity measures of children up to 6 years: Effect modification by breastfeeding

Abstract

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are synthetic chemicals used in various commercial products. Accumulating evidence has shown that they may act as metabolic disruptors. However, no study has investigated the long-term effects of gestational OPEs exposure on childhood adiposity. Breast milk represents the optimal nutritional form of feeding for infants and may protect against the adverse effects of gestational OPEs exposure on offspring development. Using data from the Shanghai-Minhang birth cohort study, we investigated the associations of gestational OPEs exposure with adiposity measures in children up to 6 years of age, and whether breastfeeding could modify these associations. A total of 733 mother-child pairs with available data on OPE concentrations and child anthropometry were included. Eight OPE metabolites were assessed in maternal urine samples collected at 12-16 weeks of pregnancy. Information on children's weight, height, arm circumference, and waist circumference was collected at birth and 0.5, 1, 4, and 6 years of age. Weight-for-age and body mass index-for-age z scores were calculated. The duration of children's breastfeeding was categorized as ≤4 months or >4 months. The generalized estimate equation and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression models were used to examine the associations of OPEs exposure with children's adiposity measures. Selected OPEs exposure was associated with higher children's adiposity measures. Particularly, we found stronger associations of bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP), and di-o-cresyl phosphate and di-p-cresyl phosphate (DCP) with higher adiposity measures in children breastfed for ≤4 months, while little evidence of associations was found among those breastfed for >4 months. Our study suggested that gestational OPEs exposure could alter children's adiposity measures, but the potential effects were attenuated if children were breastfed for >4 months.