title: Associations between Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants in Childhood and Overweight up to 12 Years Later in a Low Exposed Danish Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have metabolic disrupting abilities and are suggested to contribute to the obesity epidemic. We investigated whether serum concentrations of POPs at 8-10 years of age were associated with subsequent development of overweight at age 14-16 and 20-22 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on data from the European Youth Heart Study, Danish component (1997). Concentrations of several polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the organochlorine pesticides p,p-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in serum from children aged 8-10 years (n = 509). Information on BMI z-scores, waist circumference and % body fat were collected at clinical examinations at ages 8-10, 14-16 and 20-22 years. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed taking potential confounders into account.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, POP serum concentrations were low: median ΣPCB 0.18 µg/g lipid, DDE 0.04 µg/g lipid and HCB 0.03 µg/g lipid. POPs were generally not associated with weight gain at 14-16 and 20-22 years of age, except for an inverse association among the highest exposed girls at 20-22 years of age, which might possibly be explained by multiple testing or residual confounding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that, in a low exposed population, childhood serum concentrations of PCB, DDE, and HCB are not associated with subsequent weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jeanett L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tang-Péronard
authors.forename: Tina K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Helle R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ried-Larsen
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grøntved
authors.forename: Lars B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Clara A G
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Timmermann
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Berit L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Heitmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050177:Overweight / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls