Associations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances with Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Highly Exposed Young Adult Community Residents—A Cross-Sectional Study in Veneto Region, Italy

Maryam Zare Jeddi, Teresa Dalla Zuanna, Giulia Barbieri, Aline S. C. Fabricio, Francesca Daprà, Tony Fletcher, Francesca Russo, Gisella Pitter and Cristina Canova
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Maryam Zare Jeddi: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy
Teresa Dalla Zuanna: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy
Giulia Barbieri: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy
Aline S. C. Fabricio: Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy
Francesca Daprà: Laboratory Department-Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention and Protection-Veneto Region, 37135 Verona, Italy
Tony Fletcher: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
Francesca Russo: Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, 30123 Venice, Italy
Gisella Pitter: Screening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero-Veneto Region, 35131 Padova, Italy
Cristina Canova: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, 35131 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Studies on the association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are limited, and results are inconsistent. We aimed to examine the associations between PFAS serum levels and the prevalence of MetS among highly exposed young adults (ages 20–39) residents of a large area of the Veneto Region (North-Eastern Italy) primarily stemming from PFAS water contamination before September 2013. A total of 15,876 eligible young adult residents living in the investigated municipalities were enrolled in the study from January 2017 to July 2019. Methods: MetS was defined by using a modified harmonized definition requiring the presence of 3 of the following: obesity (body mass index ≥30), elevated triglyceride (TG), reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.1% or self-reported diabetes mellitus or drug treatment for hyperglycemia. Multivariable generalized additive models were performed to identify the associations between four serum PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and risk of MetS controlling for potential confounders. Results: A total of 1282 participants (8.1%) met the criteria of MetS with a higher prevalence among men. PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA were not associated with the risk of MetS, whereas PFOS showed a consistent protective effect against the risk of MetS (OR 0.76, (95% CI: 0.69, 0.85) per ln-PFOS). However, we found statistically significant positive associations between PFAS serum levels and individual components of MetS, mainly elevated blood pressure and elevated TG. Conclusion: Our results did not support a consistent association between PFAS and MetS and conflicting findings were observed for individual components of MetS.

Keywords: epidemiology; PFAS; biomonitoring; metabolic syndrome; cardiovascular risk factors; metabolically healthy obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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