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Chemicals in clothing and furniture lead to obesity
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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A new study conducted by researchers at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that babies born to mothers exposed to household polyfluoroalkyl compounds were underweight at birth and larger than their peers by 20 months.
Polyfluoroalkyls (PFAs) are exogenous chemicals used in the production of fluoropolymers. They can be found in common household items such as clothing, furniture, and non-stick pans. Because PFAs are widespread in the environment, people are regularly exposed to these compounds. Traces of PFAs have been found in the blood and even in breast milk of some patients.
The study involved 447 British girls and their mothers. The researchers found that the children who were most exposed to polyfluoroalkyls were underweight at birth, but when they reached 20 months, they were overweight. This suggests that children exposed to polyfluoroalkyls may be more likely to become obese later in life.
Michele Marcus, MS, PhD, lead author of the study, professor of epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and associate director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, commented on the study's findings:
"Previous animal and human studies suggest that prenatal exposure to polyfluoroalkyls can have detrimental effects on fetuses and postnatal development. Our findings are consistent with these studies and provide new evidence that household chemicals contribute to obesity and diabetes and that exposure begins at birth."
Marcus added that a similar study in Denmark confirmed that women who were exposed to polyfluoroalkyls in the womb were at increased risk of becoming obese in their 20s.
Experiments in mice have shown that exposure of the fetus to polyfluoroalkyls in the womb leads to increased insulin levels and increases the risk of obesity in adulthood.
The researchers identified three of the most common types of polyfluoroalkyl compounds: perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate, and perfluorohexane sulfonate. During the study, the experts tested the concentration of these substances in the blood of pregnant women. The height and weight of their newborn girls were measured when they were two, nine, and 20 months old.
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