Impact of Paraben Exposure on Adiposity-Related Measures: An Updated Literature Review of Population-Based Studies

Xinyun Xu, Haoying Wu, Paul D. Terry, Ling Zhao () and Jiangang Chen ()
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Xinyun Xu: Department of Nutrition, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Haoying Wu: Department of Nutrition, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Paul D. Terry: Department of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
Ling Zhao: Department of Nutrition, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Jiangang Chen: Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-16

Abstract: Parabens are alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid that are commonly used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Humans are exposed to parabens when they use these products and through diet. There are growing concerns that paraben exposure can adversely impact human health. The endocrine-disrupting and obesogenic properties of parabens have been observed in animal studies and in vitro, prompting the increase in population-based studies of paraben exposure and adiposity-related endpoints. In this review, we summarize epidemiological studies published between 2017 and 2022 that examined paraben exposure in utero, between birth and adolescence, and in adulthood, in relation to adiposity-related measures. Overall, these studies provide some evidence that suggests that paraben exposure, especially during critical development windows, is associated with adiposity-related measures. However, we have noted several limitations in these studies, including the predominance of cross-sectional studies, inconsistent sample collection procedures, and small sample sizes, which should be addressed in future studies.

Keywords: parabens; human exposure; adiposity-related measures (ARM); population-based studies; endocrine disruptors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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