Associations between food contaminants exposure and pubertal development at 10 and 13 years old

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as acrylamide(AA) and bisphenol A(BPA), are external substances usually found food that may influence pubertal development. This study aims to assess the association of food contaminants exposure (AA and BPA), individually and combined, on pubertal development in children and adolescents aged 4-13. Data from four waves of Portuguese population-based birth cohort Generation XXI was used(n=5279). Dietary information was gathered through food diaries. AA exposure was estimated combining food intake with EFSA occurrence data, while BPA exposure was predicted using a random forest model. Linear regression models tested the association food contaminants exposure-pubertal development. A significant negative association was found in girls between individual AA exposure at 7-years(-0.007(95%CI:-0.013,-0.002)), 10-years(-0.006(95%CI:-0.010,-0.003)) and 13-years(-0.005(95%CI:-0.009,-0.001)). In boys, a significant positive association was found between BPA exposure at 10 and 13-years, and AA exposure at 13-years(0.003(95%CI:0.000,0.007)). The combined exposure did not significantly change the results observed for individual exposure to each food contaminant.</p>