Serum Levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Insulin Secretion among Children Age 7-9 Years: A Prospective Cohort Study

• Published in: Environmental health perspectives 2016-12, Vol.124 (12), p.1924-1930
• Main Authors: Park, Su Hyun, Ha, Eunhee, Hong, Young Sun, Park, Hyesook
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Analysis; Biomarkers; Body mass index; Breast feeding; Child; Children; Cohort analysis; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus - chemically induced; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Disease control; Endocrine disruptors; Endocrine Disruptors - blood; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants - blood; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; Health aspects; Health risk assessment; Hospitals; Humans; Insulin; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Metabolism; PCB; Persistent organic pollutants; Pesticides; Pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Prospective Studies; Regression analysis; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Sample size; Studies; Type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 0091-6765; 1552-9924
• DOI: 10.1289/EHP147

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are endocrine disruptors and have been suggested as possible risk factors for diabetes. Few studies have been performed to investigate this association among children. In this study, we prospectively examined the relationship between the serum concentration of POPs and glucose metabolism in children. Data were collected from the Ewha Birth & Growth Cohort Study, an ongoing birth cohort study initially constructed between 2001 and 2006. In 2010-2012, the POP concentration was measured in serum from a total of 214 children, 7-9 years of age. Using fasting glucose and insulin measurements at both baseline and the second year of follow-up, the homeostatic model assessment of beta-cell function (HOMA-β) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. Multiple linear regression analysis and a linear mixed-effects model were used to determine the relationship between POP tertiles and metabolic biomarkers. Compared with the lowest tertile of total marker PCBs, participants in the third tertile had decreased HOMA-β values, after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index z-score, mother's education, ponderal index, and history of breastfeeding (-18.94%; 95% CI: -32.97%, -1.98%). In a linear mixed model, the HOMA-β values were still lower in subjects in the highest compared with the lowest tertile of total PCBs at the 2-year follow-up period (108.3 vs. 135.0, respectively). The results of the study suggested that exposure to POPs among children might affect insulin secretory function, which could lead to an increased risk of developing diabetes. Citation: Park SH, Ha EH, Hong YS, Park H. 2016. Serum levels of persistent organic pollutants and insulin secretion among children age 7-9 years: a prospective cohort study. Environ Health Perspect 124:1924-1930; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP147.