Key points:
- A longitudinal study shows that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) decrease bone mineral density in young Hispanics.
- In one cohort of 304 Hispanic adolescents, doubling of a specific type of PFAS was associated with an average 0.003 g/cm3 decrease in bone mineral density per year.
- PFAS are ubiquitous, but researchers are planning outreach efforts to teach how to limit personal exposure by avoiding nonstick pans and personal care products known to include PFAS.
A growing body of research links per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to lower bone mineral density, which can lead to osteoporosis and other bone diseases. However, these studies have focused on older, non-Hispanic white participants and only collected data at a single point in time.
Now, research published in Environmental Research demonstrates PFAS effects on bone mineral density in a longitudinal study of two groups of young participants, primarily Hispanics—a group that faces a heightened risk of bone disease in adulthood.
Researchers studied 304 Hispanic adolescents with an average age of 11 years. They collected blood samples to measure PFAS levels and used dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to measure bone density. After about a year and a half, the team followed up to check for any changes. They found that for each doubling of perfluorroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—one specific type of PFAS —participants had a yearly average of 0.003 g/cm3 decrease in bone mineral density.
The research team also collected blood samples and DXA scans from 137 young adults (58.4% Hispanic) at baseline and at a four-year follow-up. In this group, when baseline levels of PFOS doubled, participants had an average of 0.032 g/cm3 lower baseline bone mineral density, though no significant change was observed over time.
These results point to the need for stricter regulations for PFAS, especially to protect high-risk communities such as Hispanics.
“PFAS are ubiquitous—we are all exposed to them,” said senior author Vaja Lida Chatzi, professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “We need to eliminate that exposure to allow our youth to reach their full potential in terms of bone development to help them avoid osteoporosis later in life.”
Looking ahead, researchers are planning outreach efforts to teach how to limit personal PFAS exposure by avoiding nonstick pans and personal care products known to include PFAS.