Phthalates Exposure And Children Growth

Abstract

Introduction: Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are commonly used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). They are endocrine disruptors with weak estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity. Unfortunately, the plasticizers (especially di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, DEHP) were added to some food products to adulterate as an emulsifier. This report shows the effects of DEHP-tented foodstuffs on the physical development of children. Methods: During a public health scandal concerning the consumption of DEHP, the complainants sought help from clinics. The average DEHP daily dose (DI) of each complainant was estimated from the daily intake of tainted food, ascertained using a questionnaire, and urinary phthalate exposure. A physician physically examined each complainant at a clinic. Results: This study included 61 boys and 48 girls, aged 6.05-14.76 years old. The median daily DEHP intakes of the boys and girls were 19.54 and 16.97μg/kg bw/day, respectively. The daily DEHP intakes of 44.1% and 16.8% of the subjects exceeded the RfD (20μg/kg bw/day established by US/EPA) and TDI (50μg/kg bw/day established by the European Food Safety Authority) , respectively. According to the weight and height-based age- and gender-specific criteria that were developed by the competent authority, the mean (SD) weight and height percentiles of the complainants were 51.6 (29.1) and 55.6 (28.4). The complainants had a significantly shorter height than age-adjusted general adolescents. After adjusting for confounders, all of the complainants for whom age-adjusted DEHP DI exceeded the median exhibited significantly lower growth as specified by weight and height percentiles and bone age/current age than did those whose DEHP DI were below the median (weight: ORs=0.091; height: ORs=0.325, 95% CIs=0.137-0.772; bone age/ current age: ORs=0.332, 95% CIs=0.128-0.864 ). Conclusions: Some complainants were exposed to high concentrations of DEHP-tented foods, affecting the physical growth of the child victims.