Center For The Health Assessment Of Mothers And Children Of Salinas Research Articles

Organophosphate pesticide exposure and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Several studies have reported immune modulation by organophosphate (OP) pesticides, but the relationship between OP exposure and SARS-CoV-2 infection is yet to be studied. We used two different measures of OP pesticide exposure (urinary biomarkers (N = 154) and residential proximity to OP applications (N = 292)) to examine the association of early-childhood and lifetime exposure to OPs and risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 using antibody data. Our study population consisted of young adults (ages 18–21 years) from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, a longitudinal cohort of families from a California agricultural region. Urinary biomarkers reflected exposure from in utero to age 5 years. Residential proximity reflected exposures between in utero and age 16 years. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood samples collected between June 2022 and January 2023 were detected via two enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, each designed to bind to different SARS-CoV-2 antigens. We performed logistic regression for each measure of pesticide exposure, adjusting for covariates from demographic data and self-reported questionnaire data. We found increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection among participants with higher urinary biomarkers of OPs in utero (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 0.71, 5,58) and from age 0–5 (OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 0.54, 6.95).

Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and child neurodevelopment: The role of breastfeeding duration

BackgroundPrenatal and early-life exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is associated with detrimental and irreversible neurodevelopmental health outcomes during childhood. Breastfeeding may be a child's largest sustained exposure to PBDE— potentially exacerbating their risk for adverse neurodevelopment outcomes. However, breastfeeding has also been associated with positive neurodevelopment. Our study investigates if breastfeeding mitigates or exacerbates the known adverse effects of prenatal exposure to PBDEs and child neurodevelopment. MethodsParticipants included 321 mother-infant dyads from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a longitudinal birth cohort in California. PBDE concentrations were measured in maternal serum blood samples collected during pregnancy or at delivery. Using generalized estimated equations (GEE), we estimated associations of PBDE concentrations with children's attention, executive function, and cognitive scores assessed longitudinally between 7 and 12 years of age, stratified by duration of exclusive and complementary breastfeeding. ResultsWe observed that higher maternal prenatal PBDE concentrations were associated with poorer executive function among children who were complementary breastfed for a shorter duration compared to children breastfed for a longer duration; preservative errors (β for 10-fold increase in complementary breastfeeding <7 months = −6.6; 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): −11.4, −1.8; β ≥ 7 months = −5.1; 95 % CI: −10.2, 0.1) and global executive composition (β for 10-fold increase <7 months = 4.3; 95 % CI: 0.4, 8.2; β for 10-fold increase ≥7 months = 0.6; 95 % CI: −2.8, 3.9). ConclusionsProlonged breastfeeding does not exacerbate but may mitigate some previously observed negative associations of prenatal PBDE exposure and child neurodevelopment.

Prenatal and childhood exposure to organophosphate pesticides and functional brain imaging in young adults

BackgroundEarly life exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides has been linked with poorer neurodevelopment from infancy to adolescence. In our Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort, we previously reported that residential proximity to OP use during pregnancy was associated with altered cortical activation using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a small subset (n = 95) of participants at age 16 years. MethodsWe administered fNIRS to 291 CHAMACOS young adults at the 18-year visit. Using covariate-adjusted regression models, we estimated associations of prenatal and childhood urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs), non-specific OP metabolites, with cortical activation in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions of the brain during tasks of executive function and semantic language. ResultsThere were some suggestive associations for prenatal DAPs with altered activation patterns in both the inferior frontal and inferior parietal lobes of the left hemisphere during a task of cognitive flexibility (β per ten-fold increase in DAPs = 3.37; 95% CI: −0.02, 6.77 and β = 3.43; 95% CI: 0.64, 6.22, respectively) and the inferior and superior frontal pole/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the right hemisphere during the letter retrieval working memory task (β = −3.10; 95% CI: −6.43, 0.22 and β = −3.67; 95% CI: −7.94, 0.59, respectively). We did not observe alterations in cortical activation with prenatal DAPs during a semantic language task or with childhood DAPs during any task. DiscussionWe observed associations of prenatal OP concentrations with mild alterations in cortical activation during tasks of executive function. Associations with childhood exposure were null. This is reasonably consistent with studies of prenatal OPs and neuropsychological measures of attention and executive function found in CHAMACOS and other birth cohorts.

Prenatal and Childhood Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and Behavior Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults in the CHAMACOS Study.

We previously reported associations of prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with poorer neurodevelopment in early childhood and at school age, including poorer cognitive function and more behavioral problems, in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a birth cohort study in an agriculture community. We investigated the extent to which early-life exposure to OP pesticides is associated with behavioral problems, including mental health, in youth during adolescence and early adulthood. We measured urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs), nonspecific OP metabolites, in urine samples collected from mothers twice during pregnancy (13 and 26 wk) and at five different times in their children (ages 6 months to 5 y). We assessed maternal report and youth report of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2), when the youth were ages 14, 16, and 18 y. Because there was evidence of nonlinearity, we estimated associations across quartiles of DAPs and modeled repeated outcome measures using generalized estimating equations. There were 335 youths with prenatal maternal DAP measures and 14-. 16-, or 18-y BASC-2 scores. Prenatal maternal DAP concentrations (specific gravity-adjusted median, , ) were associated with higher T-scores (more behavior problems) from maternal report, including more hyperactivity [fourth vs. first quartile of exposure ; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 4.45], aggression (; 95% CI: 0.15, 3.66), attention problems (; 95% CI: 0.26, 5.30), and depression (; 95% CI: 0.08, 5.24). Associations with youth report of externalizing problems were null, and associations with depression were suggestive (fourth vs. first quartile of exposure ; 95% CI: , 4.67). Childhood DAP metabolites were not associated with behavioral problems. We found associations of prenatal, but not childhood, urinary DAP concentrations with adolescent/young adult externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. These findings are consistent with prior associations we have reported with neurodevelopmental outcomes measured earlier in childhood in CHAMACOS participants and suggests that prenatal exposure to OP pesticides may have lasting effects on the behavioral health of youth as they mature into adulthood, including their mental health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11380.

Cognitive Development and Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure in the CHAMACOS Cohort.

Because fine particulate matter [PM, with aerodynamic diameter ()] is a ubiquitous environmental exposure, small changes in cognition associated with exposure could have great societal costs. Prior studies have demonstrated a relationship between in utero exposure and cognitive development in urban populations, but it is not known whether these effects are similar in rural populations and whether they persist into late childhood. In this study, we tested for associations between prenatal exposure and both full-scale and subscale measures of IQ among a longitudinal cohort at age 10.5 y. This analysis used data from 568 children enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a birth cohort study in California's agricultural Salinas Valley. Exposures were estimated at residential addresses during pregnancy using state of the art, modeled surfaces. IQ testing was performed by bilingual psychometricians in the dominant language of the child. A higher average over pregnancy was associated with full-scale IQ points [95% confidence interval (CI): , ], with decrements specifically in Working Memory IQ (WMIQ) and Processing Speed IQ (PSIQ) subscales [WMIQ (95% CI: , ) and PSIQ (95% CI: , 0.16)]. Flexible modeling over the course of pregnancy illustrated mid-to-late pregnancy (months 5-7) as particularly susceptible times, with sex differences in the timing of susceptible windows and in which subscales were most affected [Verbal Comprehension IQ (VCIQ) and WMIQ in males; and PSIQ in females]. We found that small increases in outdoor exposure in utero were associated with slightly lower IQ in late childhood, robust to many sensitivity analyses. In this cohort there was a larger effect of on childhood IQ than has previously been observed, perhaps due to differences in PM composition or because developmental disruption could alter the cognitive trajectory and thus appear more pronounced as children get older. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10812.

Association of Lifetime Exposure to Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) with Liver Inflammation and Metabolic Syndrome at Young Adulthood: Findings from the CHAMACOS Study.

The prevalence of liver disorders and metabolic syndrome has increased among youth. Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide worldwide, could contribute to the development of these conditions. We aimed to assess whether lifetime exposure to glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), is associated with elevated liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome among young adults. We conducted a prospective cohort study ( mother-child dyads) and a nested case-control study ( cases with elevated liver transaminases and 91 controls) using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS). We measured glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in urine samples collected during pregnancy and at child ages 5, 14, and 18 y from cases and controls. We calculated glyphosate residue concentrations: []. We estimated the amount of agricultural-use glyphosate applied within a radius of every residence from pregnancy to age 5 y for the full cohort using California Pesticide Use Reporting data. We assessed liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome at 18 y of age. Urinary AMPA at age 5 y was associated with elevated transaminases [relative risk (RR) per , 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.53] and metabolic syndrome (, 95% CI: 1.38, 3.11). Urinary AMPA and glyphosate residues at age 14 y were associated with metabolic syndrome [ (95% CI: 1.10, 2.93) and (95% CI: 1.03, 3.42), respectively]. Overall, a 2-fold increase in urinary AMPA during childhood was associated with a 14% and a 55% increased risk of elevated liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome, respectively. Living near agricultural glyphosate applications during early childhood (birth to 5 y of age) was also associated with metabolic syndrome at age 18 y in the case-control group (, 95% CI: 1.16, 2.02). Childhood exposure to glyphosate and AMPA may increase risk of liver and cardiometabolic disorders in early adulthood, which could lead to more serious diseases later in life. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11721.

Residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use and risk-taking behaviors in young adults from the CHAMACOS study

BackgroundPrenatal pesticide exposure has been associated with poorer neurodevelopment during childhood, which could lead to greater risk-taking behaviors and delinquency in adolescence. This association may be augmented by adversity exposure. ObjectivesEvaluate the relationship between prenatal pesticide exposure and risk-taking behavior in young adults at 18-years of age. Assess whether adversity exposure modifies these associations. MethodsParticipants included mother-child dyads (n = 467) enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children Of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a longitudinal birth cohort set in the agricultural Salinas Valley of California. We estimated agricultural pesticide use within one km of maternal residences during pregnancy using a geographic information system, residential addresses, and California's Pesticide Use Reporting data. We used Bayesian hierarchical regression to evaluate associations of prenatal exposure to a mixture of 11 neurotoxic pesticides with self-reported police encounters, risk-taking behaviors, and unique types and frequency of delinquent acts. We also evaluated effect modification of these relationships by adversity exposure. ResultsWe observed generally null associations of neurotoxic pesticide use with risk-taking behaviors. Prenatal residential proximity to chlorpyrifos use was associated with higher risk of a police encounter, a delinquent act, and higher incidence of both unique types of acts committed and total frequency of delinquent acts. Prenatal residential proximity to dimethoate use was associated with a higher incidence of police encounters and methomyl with a higher risk of committing a delinquent act. There were no consistent differences when stratified by the number of adverse childhood experiences. ConclusionsWe observed mostly null associations between prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use and risk-taking behaviors at age 18, with little evidence of effect modification by childhood adversity. There were suggestive associations for chlorpyrifos use with having any police encounter and with all measures of delinquent acts that warrant confirmation in other studies.

Prenatal and birth associations of epigenetic gestational age acceleration in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort

ABSTRACT Gestational age (GA) is an important determinant of child health and disease risk. Two epigenetic GA clocks have been developed using DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns in cord blood. We investigate the accuracy of GA clocks and determinants of epigenetic GA acceleration (GAA), a biomarker of biological ageing. We hypothesize that prenatal and birth characteristics are associated with altered GAA, thereby disrupting foetal biological ageing. We examined 372 mother-child pairs from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas study of primarily Latino farmworkers in California. Chronological GA was robustly correlated with epigenetic GA (DNAm GA) estimated by the Knight (r = 0.48, p < 2.2x10−16) and Bohlin clocks (r = 0.67, p < 2.2x10−16) using the Illumina 450K array in cord blood samples collected at birth. GA clock performance was robust, though slightly lower, using DNAm profiles from the Illumina EPIC array in a smaller subsample (Knight: r = 0.39, p < 3.5x10−5; Bohlin: r = 0.60, p < 7.7x10−12). After adjusting for confounders, high maternal serum triglyceride levels (Bohlin: β = −0.01 days per mg/dL, p = 0.03), high maternal serum lipid levels (Bohlin: β = −4.31x10−3 days per mg/dL, p = 0.04), preterm delivery (Bohlin: β = −4.03 days, p = 9.64x10−4), greater maternal parity (Knight: β = −4.07 days, p = 0.01; Bohlin: β = −2.43 days, p = 0.01), and male infant sex (Knight: β = −3.15 days, p = 3.10x10−3) were associated with decreased GAA.Prenatal and birth characteristics affect GAA in newborns. Understanding factors that accelerate or delay biological ageing at birth may identify early-life targets for disease prevention and improve ageing across the life-course. Future research should test the impact of altered GAA on the long-term burden of age-related diseases.

Comparison of DNA methylation measurements from EPIC BeadChip and SeqCap targeted bisulphite sequencing in PON1 and nine additional candidate genes

ABSTRACT Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) are widely implemented in epidemiology, and the Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip (EPIC) DNA microarray is the most-used technology. Recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based methods, which assess DNA methylation at single-base resolution, have become more affordable and technically feasible. While the content of microarray technology is fixed, NGS-based approaches, such as the Roche Nimblegen, SeqCap Epi Enrichment System (SeqCap), offer the flexibility of targeting most CpGs in a gene. With the current usage of microarrays and emerging NGS-based technologies, it is important to establish whether data generated from the two platforms are comparable. We harnessed 112 samples from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort study and compared DNA methylation between the EPIC microarray and SeqCap for PON1 and nine additional candidate genes, by evaluating epigenomic coverage and correlations. We conducted multivariable linear regression and principal component analyses to assess the ability of the EPIC array and SeqCap to detect biological differences in gene methylation by the PON1 −108 single nucleotide polymorphism. We found an overall high concordance (r = 0.84) between SeqCap and EPIC DNA methylation, among highly methylated and minimally methylated regions. However, substantial disagreement was present between the two methods in moderately methylated regions, with SeqCap measurements exhibiting greater within-site variation. Additionally, SeqCap did not capture PON1 SNP associated differences in DNA methylation that were evident with the EPIC array. Our findings indicate that microarrays perform well for analysing DNA methylation in large cohort studies but with limited coverage.

Exposure to DDT and DDE and functional neuroimaging in adolescents from the CHAMACOS cohort

BackgroundEpidemiological studies suggest that exposure to p,p’-dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (p,p’-DDT) is associated with poorer cognitive function in children and adolescents, but the neural mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. ObjectiveWe investigated associations of prenatal and childhood exposure to p,p’-DDT and its metabolite p,p’-dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) with cortical activation in adolescents using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). MethodsWe administered fNIRS to 95 adolescents from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) aged 15–17 years. We assessed cortical activity in the frontal, temporal, and parietal brain regions while participants completed tasks of executive function, language comprehension, and social cognition. We measured serum p,p’-DDT and -DDE concentrations at age 9 years and then estimated exposure-outcome associations using linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. In secondary analyses, we back-extrapolated prenatal concentrations using prediction models and examined their association with cortical activation. ResultsMedian (P25–P75) p,p’-DDT and -DDE concentrations in childhood were 1.4 (1–2.3) and 141.5 (75.0–281.3) ng/g lipid, respectively. We found that childhood exposure to p,p’-DDT and -DDE was associated with altered patterns of brain activation during tasks of cognition and executive functions. For example, we observed increased activity in the left frontal lobe during a language comprehension task (β per 10 ng/g lipid increase of serum p,p’-DDE at age 9 years = 3.4; 95% CI: 0.0, 6.9 in the left inferior frontal lobe; and β = 4.2; 95% CI: 0.9, 7.5 in the left superior frontal lobe). We found no sex differences in the associations of childhood p,p’-DDT and -DDE concentrations with neural activity. Associations between prenatal p,p’-DDT and p,p’-DDE concentrations and brain activity were similar to those observed for child p,p’-DDT and -DDE concentrations. ConclusionsChildhood p,p’-DDT and -DDE exposure may impact cortical brain activation, which could be an underlying mechanism for its previously reported associations with poorer cognitive function.

Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and risk-taking behaviors in early adulthood

IntroductionPrevious studies show evidence for associations of prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with poorer childhood neurodevelopment. As children grow older, poorer cognition, executive function, and school performance can give rise to risk-taking behaviors, including substance abuse, delinquency, and violent acts. We investigated whether prenatal OP exposure was associated with these risk-taking behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood in a Mexican American cohort.MethodsWe measured urinary dialkyl phosphates (DAPs), non-specific metabolites of OPs, twice (13 and 26 weeks gestation) in pregnant women recruited in 1999–2000 in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a birth cohort set in a primarily Latino agricultural community in the Salinas Valley, California. We followed up children throughout their childhood and adolescence; at the 18-year visit, adolescent youth (n = 315) completed a computer-based questionnaire which included questions about substance use, risky sexual activity, risky driving, and delinquency and police encounters. We used multivariable models to estimate associations of prenatal total DAPs with these risk-taking behaviors.ResultsThe prevalence of risk-taking behaviors in CHAMACOS youth ranged from 8.9% for smoking or vaping nicotine to 70.2% for committing a delinquent act. Associations of total prenatal DAPs (geometric mean = 132.4 nmol/L) with risk-taking behavior were generally null and imprecise. Isolated findings included a higher risk for smoking or vaping nicotine within the past 30 days (relative risk [RR] per 10-fold increase in prenatal DAPs = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.00, 3.56) and driving without a license (RR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.42). There were no consistent differences by sex or childhood adversity.DiscussionWe did not find clear or consistent evidence for associations of prenatal OP exposure with risk-taking behaviors in adolescence/early adulthood in the CHAMACOS population. Our small sample size may have prevented us from detecting potentially subtle associations of early life OP exposure with these risk-taking behaviors.

Youth in Action: Local Teens Help Assess Chemical Exposures from Household Cleaning Products.

Youth in Action: Local Teens Help Assess Chemical Exposures from Household Cleaning Products.

Residential proximity to agricultural glyphosate use and neurobehavior in the CHAMACOS study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Glyphosate herbicides are the most widely used pesticides in the world. In California, agricultural use and total sales of glyphosate have more than doubled in the past 20 years. However, few studies have evaluated the human health effects of exposure. Our aim was to assess the relationship of agricultural glyphosate use within 1 km of residences with cognition and behavior in adolescence and young adulthood. METHODS: We collected residential history information during pregnancy and childhood in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort. Using California Pesticide Use Report data, we estimated agricultural glyphosate use within 1 km of residences during the prenatal period and from 0-5 years of age, weighted for wind direction. We estimated associations with: Full-scale Intelligence Quotient, Verbal Comprehension, Working Memory, Processing Speed and Perceptual Reasoning from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children, 4th edition at 7 and 10.5y; internalizing (anxiety and depression) and externalizing behaviors (hyperactivity and attention) from the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 at 16 and 18y; and police encounters, delinquent acts, and risk-taking behaviors at 18y. RESULTS:A two-fold increase in glyphosate use within 1 km of postnatal residences was associated with more youth-reported depression (β=1.3, 95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.2, 2.5), and maternal-reported internalizing behaviors (β=1.3, 95% CrI: 0.2, 2.7), driven by associations with anxiety (β=1.2, 95% CrI: 0.2, 2.3) at 16 and 18y. Residential proximity to glyphosate use during pregnancy or early childhood was not associated with other behavioral or cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS:Though we observed associations of early childhood residential proximity to agricultural glyphosate use with a slight increase in internalizing behaviors, overall associations were null for most cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Future studies of neurodevelopment and glyphosate biomarkers would integrate exposure from diet, agricultural and home use. KEYWORDS: glyphosate, agriculture, cognition, behavior, children, adolescents

Interactions of agricultural pesticide use near home during pregnancy and adverse childhood experiences on adolescent neurobehavioral development in the CHAMACOS study

BackgroundStudies have documented independent adverse associations between prenatal and early-life exposure to environmental chemicals and social adversity with child neurodevelopment; however, few have considered these exposures jointly. The objective of this analysis is to examine whether associations of pesticide mixtures and adolescent neurobehavioral development are modified by early-life adversity in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort. MethodsWe used linear mixed effects Bayesian Hierarchical Models (BHM) to examine the joint effect of applications of 11 agricultural pesticides within 1 km of maternal homes during pregnancy and youth-reported Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with maternal and youth-reported internalizing behaviors, hyperactivity, and attention problems assessed via the Behavior Assessment for Children (BASC) (mean = 50, standard deviation = 10) at ages 16 and 18 years (n = 458). ResultsThe median (25th-75th percentiles) of ACEs was 1 (0–3); 72.3% of participants had low ACEs (0–2 events) and 27.7% had ACEs (3+ events). Overall, there was little evidence of modification of exposure-outcome associations by ACEs. A two-fold increase in malathion use was associated with increased internalizing behaviors among those with high ACEs from both maternal- (β = 1.9; 95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.2, 3.7 for high ACEs vs. β = −0.1; 95% CrI: 1.2, 0.9 for low ACEs) and youth-report (β = 2.1; 95% CrI: 0.4, 3.8 for high ACEs vs. β = 0.2; 95% CrI: 0.8, 1.2 for low ACEs). Applications of malathion and dimethoate were also associated with higher youth-reported hyperactivity and/or inattention among those with high ACEs. ConclusionWe observed little evidence of effect modification of agricultural pesticide use near the home during pregnancy and adolescent behavioral problems by child ACEs. Future studies should examine critical windows of susceptibility of exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors and should consider biomarker-based exposure assessment methods.

Childhood Overweight and Obesity and Pubertal Onset Among Mexican-American Boys and Girls in the CHAMACOS Longitudinal Study.

Secular trends in earlier initiation of puberty have been observed in recent decades. One risk factor appears to be increases in adiposity, as measured by body mass index. This trend is particularly notable among Latino populations, who have higher rates of overweight/obesity compared with non-Latino White youth. Previous research has focused primarily on White girls, resulting in data gaps regarding male puberty and among potentially high-risk populations. Using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, we examined body mass index at age 5 years (2005-2006) and multiple markers of pubertal onset, assessed repeatedly and longitudinally at 7 in-person visits, starting at age 9 and continuing through age 14 (2009-2015), among 336 Mexican Americans in Salinas, California. We observed no associations among boys, but found significantly earlier thelarche in overweight (HR= 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.7) and obese girls (HR= 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.4), menarche in overweight girls (HR= 1.6; CI: 1.0, 2.4), and pubarche in obese girls (HR= 1.9; CI: 1.2, 3.0), compared with normal-weight girls. This study examined an understudied population and included key covariates, such as birth weight and early adverse events, which are typically omitted in studies.

Prenatal Exposure to Mixtures of Phthalates, Parabens, and Other Phenols and Obesity in Five-Year-Olds in the CHAMACOS Cohort.

Exposures to phthalates, parabens, and other phenols are often correlated due to their ubiquitous use in personal care products and plastics. Examining these compounds as a complex mixture may clarify inconsistent relationships between individual chemicals and childhood adiposity. Using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a longitudinal cohort of children in Salinas Valley, California (n = 309), we examined biomarkers of 11 phthalate metabolites and 9 phenols, including several parabens and bisphenol A, measured in maternal urine at two time points during pregnancy. We measured child height and weight at age five to calculate the body mass index (BMI) z-scores and overweight/obesity status. The association between prenatal urinary concentrations of biomarkers with the childhood BMI z-score and overweight/obesity status was analyzed using single-pollutant models and two mixture methods: Bayesian hierarchical modeling (BMH) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). Urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate, monocarboxy-isononly phthalate (metabolites of diethyl phthalate and di-isodecyl phthalate, respectively), and propylparaben were consistently associated with an increased BMI z-score and overweight/obesity status across all modeling approaches. Higher prenatal exposures to the cumulative biomarker mixture also trended with greater childhood adiposity. These results, robust across two methods that control for co-pollutant confounding, suggest that prenatal exposure to certain phthalates and parabens may increase the risk for obesity in early childhood.

Prenatal exposure to phthalates and maternal metabolic outcomes in a high-risk pregnant Latina population

BackgroundPhthalates are a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals that are heavily used throughout industry in flexible plastic and personal-care products. As a result, detectable levels of their metabolites are readily found in humans. Some studies have shown associations of phthalates with diabetes, but associations with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are less clear. ObjectiveTo investigate the association of 11 prenatal urinary phthalate metabolites and development of GDM, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), continuous plasma glucose level, and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) in a population of pregnant Latina women (N = 415) enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort study. MethodsPhthalate metabolite levels were measured via mass spectrometry from two urine samples collected in the end of the first and second trimester. Maternal plasma glucose levels, prior diabetes diagnosis, GDM diagnosis, and weight gain were abstracted from medical records. Multiple regression was used to evaluate the association between the average of the two urinary phthalate metabolites levels and maternal metabolic outcomes. In our sensitivity analysis, phthalate levels were categorized by level (as quartiles of exposure) and by timing of urine sample collection (as taken in first and second half of pregnancy). ResultsConsistent with findings from a nationally representative sample, all of the individual phthalate metabolites were detected in majority of mothers. Thirty-one mothers (7.5%) were diagnosed with GDM, 49 mothers (14.7%) displayed IGT, and 223 mothers (55.1%) gained an excessive amount of weight during their pregnancy. MEP concentrations were associated with an increased odds of excessive GWG (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0 to 1.3). We did not find an association between any phthalate metabolite and any maternal glucose outcome. ConclusionContrary to previous studies, our findings do not support an association of prenatal phthalate levels and increased odds for hyperglycemia, IGT, or GDM. But, we did find an increased odds of excessive GWG, a well-known risk factor for GDM.

Prenatal exposure to pesticide mixtures and adolescent externalizing behavior in the CHAMACOS study

Background: Previous studies have shown that prenatal pesticide exposure is associated with adverse child neurodevelopment, however it is unclear whether associations persist into adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, previous research has focused primarily on exposure to single pesticides or pesticide classes at a time and has not accounted for co-exposure confounding by other pesticides. Methods: We implemented a two-stage Bayesian Hierarchical Model (BHM) to examine associations of prenatal exposure to mixtures of pesticides and maternal- and self-reported externalizing behaviors from the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2) at age 16 years in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort (n=567). We characterized agricultural applications of 11 pesticides from 5 different classes within 3 km of maternal residences during pregnancy using California’s Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) data. Results: Associations for most pesticides were near null among all participants and in sex-stratified models, with some suggestive associations with self-reported behavior. Prenatal residential proximity to agricultural applications of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, was associated with more self-reported hyperactivity (β per 2-fold increase = 2.2; 95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.2, 4.1), sensation seeking (β=2.2; 95% CI: 0.2, 4.2), and attention problems (β=2.15; 95% CI: 0.12, 4.13). We observed that associations of residential proximity to imidacloprid applications and self-reported hyperactivity were stronger in boys (β=3.7; 95% CI: 1.0, 6.4) than girls (β=1.2; 95% CI: -1.1, 3.4).Conclusion: We observed predominantly null associations of prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use and behavior among CHAMACOS participants at age 16, with some notable associations of proximity to imidacloprid applications and self-reported externalizing behaviors. Imidacloprid is now the most widely used insecticide in the world and additional studies are needed to evaluate its potential developmental neurotoxicity, particularly in the context of correlated exposure to multiple pesticides.

Early life exposure to organophosphate pesticides, behavioral outcomes, and adaptive skills in adolescents from the CHAMACOS study

Background: Epidemiologic studies have linked early life exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with poorer cognitive and behavioral development in school age children. However, few studies have examined whether these associations persist into adolescence.Methods: We investigated associations of early life OP pesticide exposure, assessed by measurement of urinary dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites in pregnant women (samples collected at 13 and 26 weeks’ gestation) and their children (repeated samples collected from birth to 5 years), with maternal-reported behaviors assessed longitudinally at ages 14, 16, and 18 years using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2) in 335 adolescents participating in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study. We used generalized estimating equation models to assess longitudinal effects and examined differences by sex.Results: Median (IQR) prenatal dimethyl phosphate (DM), diethyl phosphate (DE), and total DAP concentrations were 97.8 (47.0-233.5), 23.9 (11.2-44.4), and 128.2 (72.3-290.1) nmol/g creatinine. We observed that higher prenatal creatinine-adjusted DAP concentrations were associated with more maternal-reported hyperactivity (β per 10-fold increase = 2.0; 95% CI: 0.3, 3.7), aggression (β = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.1, 2.8), and withdrawal (β = 2.6; 95% CI: 0.6, 4.5), and with poorer adaptability (β = -2.4; 95% CI: -4.5, -0.2), activities of daily living (β = -3.3; 95% CI: -5.6, -1.1), and functional communication (β = -3.3; 95% CI: -5.3, -1.3). Associations were similar for prenatal DMs and generally stronger in boys than in girls. We observed null associations for prenatal DE concentrations and childhood OP pesticide metabolites.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that prenatal, but not childhood, OP pesticide exposure may be associated with behavioral problems and adaptive deficits that persist into adolescence. Public health interventions and public policy changes to protect developing brains from avoidable environmental insults, such as OP pesticides, are warranted.

Prenatal exposure phthalates and the association with maternal hyperglycemia, impaired glucose intolerance, gestational diabetes, and gestational weight gain in a high-risk Latina population

Background: Phthalates are ubiquitous in our environment and are frequently detected in humans. Commonly found in plastics and personal-care items, phthalates are considered endocrine disruptors. Some studies have associate phthalate concentrations in pregnancy with maternal hyperglycemia and gestational diabetes (GDM), however most studies have been in low-risk white and well-educated populations.Objective: We investigated the relationship between concentrations of 11 prenatal urinary phthalate metabolites and GDM, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), continuous plasma glucose level, and gestational weight gain (GWG) in a population of pregnant Latina women (N=415) in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort study.Methods: Urine samples were collected twice during pregnancy and analyzed for phthalate metabolites using mass spectrometry. Gestational glucose levels, diagnoses of prior diabetes and GDM, and GWG were abstracted from medical records. We used multi-variable logistic and multi-linear regressions to evaluate the association between urinary phthalate metabolites (as continuous variables and quartiles of exposure) and maternal glycemic outcomes.Results: Most women had detectable urinary phthalate metabolites, with detection frequencies for individual phthalates ranging from 100% to 87.7% and metabolite concentrations similar to those of a nationally representative sample. Thirty-one (7.5%) participants developed GDM, compared to the U.S. average in 2000 of 3.7%. Forty-nine (14.7%) participants experienced IGT. Monoethyl phthalate metabolite concentrations were associated with an increase odds of excessive GWG (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.0 to 1.3). Contrary to previous studies, we observed no statistically significant association between any phthalate metabolite and GDM, IGT, or maternal glucose level.Conclusion: While this study does not support previous findings of associations of maternal prenatal phthalate exposure and increased risk for maternal glucose metabolic intolerance and the development of GDM, it does suggest a possible mechanism of promoting excessive GWG.