Environmental Phenols and Growth in Infancy: The Infant Feeding and Early Development Study

Abstract

Abstract Context Higher mean and rapid increases in body mass index (BMI) during infancy are associated with subsequent obesity and may be influenced by exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phenols. Objective In a prospective US-based cohort conducted 2010-2014, we investigated associations between environmental phenol exposures and BMI in 199 infants. Methods We measured 7 urinary phenols at ages 6-8 and 12 weeks and assessed BMI z-score at up to 12 study visits between birth and 36 weeks. We examined individual and joint associations of averaged early infancy phenols with level of BMI z-score using mean differences (β [95% CI]) and with BMI z-score trajectories using relative risk ratios (RR [95% CI]). Results Benzophenone-3, methyl and propyl paraben, and all phenols jointly were positively associated with higher mean BMI z-score (0.07 [−0.05, 0.18], 0.10 [−0.08, 0.27], 0.08 [−0.09, 0.25], 0.17 [−0.08, 0.43], respectively). Relative to a stable trajectory, benzophenone-3, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol, and all phenols jointly were positively associated with risk of a rapid increase trajectory (1.46 [0.89, 2.39], 1.33 [0.88, 2.01], 1.66 [1.03, 2.68], 1.41 [0.71, 2.84], respectively). Conclusion Early phenol exposure was associated with a higher mean and rapid increase in BMI z-score across infancy, signaling potential long-term cardiometabolic consequences of exposure.