Challenges to studying the health effects of early life environmental chemical exposures on children’s health

Abstract Background The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children’s Health is an ongoing study consisting of two birth cohorts of different population sizes: the Sapporo cohort and the Hokkaido cohort. Our primary objectives are to (1) examine the effects that low-level environmental chemical exposures have on birth outcomes, including birth defects and growth retardation; (2) follow the development of allergies, infectious diseases, and neurobehavioral developmental disorders, as well as perform a longitudinal observation of child development; (3) identify high-risk groups based on genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals; and (4) identify the additive effects of various chemicals, including tobacco. Methods The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the progress of the Hokkaido Study, summarize recent results, and suggest future directions. In particular, this report provides the latest details from questionnaire surveys, face-to-face examinations, and a collection of biological specimens from children and measurements of their chemical exposures. Results The latest findings indicate different risk factors of parental characteristics on birth outcomes and the mediating effect between socioeconomic status and children that are small for the gestational age. Maternal serum folate was not associated with birth defects. Prenatal chemical exposure and smoking were associated with birth size and growth, as well as cord blood biomarkers, such as adiponectin, leptin, thyroid, and reproductive hormones. We also found significant associations between the chemical levels and neuro development, asthma, and allergies. Conclusions Chemical exposure to children can occur both before and after birth. Longer follow-up for children is crucial in birth cohort studies to reinforce the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. In contrast, considering shifts in the exposure levels due to regulation is also essential, which may also change the association to health outcomes. This study found that individual susceptibility to adverse health effects depends on the genotype. Epigenome modification of DNA methylation was also discovered, indicating the necessity of examining molecular biology perspectives. International collaborations can add a new dimension to the current knowledge and provide novel discoveries in the future.

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Early-life exposure to widespread environmental toxicants and children’s health risks: a focus on the post-vaccination antibody potency or immunoglobulin levels

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146714 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146714

Author(s):

Zhijun Zeng ◽

Sieglind Ngai ◽

Qihua Wang ◽

Wanting Liang ◽

Xia Huo

Keyword(s):

Health Risks ◽

Early Life ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Environmental Toxicants ◽

Post Vaccination ◽

Early Life Exposure ◽

Immunoglobulin Levels

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Change in exposure of children to second-hand smoke with impact on children’s health and change in parental smoking habits after smoking ban in Bavaria – a multiple cross-sectional study.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-151835/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammed El Sharkawy ◽

Alisa Weinberger ◽

Susanne Kutzora ◽

Jonas Huß ◽

Lana Hendrowarsito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Smoking Ban ◽

Active Smoking ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health ◽

Children’S Exposure

Abstract Background: Concerns about smoking displacement from public places to private amenities aroused following smoking ban implementation in Bavaria in 2008. We analysed children’s exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) before and after the ban, its effect on children’s health and prevalence of active smoking in adults. Methods: Six cross-sectional surveys (n=32,443) on pre-school children in Bavaria were analysed, two surveys before the smoking ban in years 2004 and 2005 (S1 and S2) and four after the ban in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2016 (S4, S6, S7 and S8). Using multivariate logistic regression, we analysed change in children’s SHS exposure and its adverse health effects (Asthma, wheezing, bronchitis and neurodermatitis) as well as change in parental active smoking. Results: Odds of parents never smoking at home in presence of children increased significantly from before to after the ban with odds ratios (OR) 1.17 (CI 95% 1.01 – 1.35), 1.65 (CI 95% 1.39 – 1.95), 2.85 (CI 95% 2.32 – 3.51), 2.24 (CI 95% 1.84 – 2.72) and 3.66 (CI 95% 2.89 – 4.63) for S2, S4, S6, S7 and S8, respectively with S1 as reference. Compared to S4, odds of parents not actively smoking is significantly higher in S7 (OR= 1.13 (CI 95% 1.03 – 1.24)) and S8 (OR= 1.24 (CI 95% 1.13 – 1.36)). Adverse health effects related to children’s exposure to SHS are significantly less in S8 compared to S1. Conclusion: Smoking displacement to homes after the ban in Bavaria was disproved. Number of parents quitting smoking is increasing over time. Prevalence of health problems in children related to exposure to SHS is decreasing.

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Children’s Environmental Health: A Systems Approach for Anticipating Impacts from Chemicals

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17228337 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (22) ◽

pp. 8337

Author(s):

Elaine A. Cohen Hubal ◽

David M. Reif ◽

Rachel Slover ◽

Ashley Mullikin ◽

John C. Little

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Environmental Health ◽

Early Life ◽

Systems Approach ◽

Consumer Products ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Chemical Management ◽

Wide Range ◽

Children’S Environmental Health

Increasing numbers of chemicals are on the market and present in consumer products. Emerging evidence on the relationship between environmental contributions and prevalent diseases suggests associations between early-life exposure to manufactured chemicals and a wide range of children’s health outcomes. Using current assessment methodologies, public health and chemical management decisionmakers face challenges in evaluating and anticipating the potential impacts of exposure to chemicals on children’s health in the broader context of their physical (built and natural) and social environments. Here, we consider a systems approach to address the complexity of children’s environmental health and the role of exposure to chemicals during early life, in the context of nonchemical stressors, on health outcomes. By advancing the tools for integrating this more complex information, the scope of considerations that support chemical management decisions can be extended to include holistic impacts on children’s health.

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Early-life environmental risk factors for asthma: findings from the Children's Health Study.

Environmental Health Perspectives ◽

10.1289/ehp.6662 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 112 (6) ◽

pp. 760-765 ◽

Cited By ~ 117

Author(s):

Muhammad Towhid Salam ◽

Yu-Fen Li ◽

Bryan Langholz ◽

Frank Davis Gilliland ◽

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Environmental Risk ◽

Early Life ◽

Environmental Risk Factors ◽

Children's Health ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Health Study ◽

Children's Health Study

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Evolution of DOHaD: the impact of environmental health sciences

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174414000580 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 55-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 92

Author(s):

A. C. Haugen ◽

T. T. Schug ◽

G. Collman ◽

J. J. Heindel

Keyword(s):

Environmental Health ◽

Early Life ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Environmental Exposures ◽

Later Life ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Environmental Chemical ◽

Chemical Exposures ◽

Environmental Health Sciences ◽

The Impact

Environmental exposures have a significant influence on the chronic health conditions plaguing children and adults. Although the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm historically has focused on nutrition, an expanding body of research specifically communicates the effects of chemical exposures on early-life development and the propagation of non-communicable disease across the lifespan. This paper provides an overview of 20 years of research efforts aimed at identifying critical windows of susceptibility to environmental exposures and the signaling changes and epigenetic influences associated with disease progression. DOHaD grants funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in 1991, 2001 and 2011 are identified by grant-analysis software, and each portfolio is analyzed for exposures, disease endpoints, windows of exposure, study design and impact on the field based on publication data. Results show that the 1991 and 2001 portfolios comprised metals, PCBs and air pollutants; however, by 2011, the portfolio has evolved to include or expand the variety of endocrine disruptors, pesticides/persistent organic pollutants and metals. An assortment of brain-health endpoints is most targeted across the portfolios, whereas reproduction and cancer increase steadily over the same time period, and new endpoints like obesity are introduced by 2011. With mounting evidence connecting early-life exposures to later-life disease, we conclude that it is critical to expand the original DOHaD concept to include environmental chemical exposures, and to continue a research agenda that emphasizes defining sensitive windows of exposure and the mechanisms that cause disease.

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The Role of Medical and Social Factors in Health Formation of Primary School Children

ЗДОРОВЬЕ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ И СРЕДА ОБИТАНИЯ - ЗНиСО / PUBLIC HEALTH AND LIFE ENVIRONMENT ◽

10.35627/2219-5238/2020-325-4-13-17 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 13-17

Author(s):

TR Zulkarnaev ◽

RN Zigitbaev ◽

EA Povargo ◽

AA Kazak ◽

II Khisamiev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Primary School ◽

Health Effects ◽

School Children ◽

Social Factors ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Children's Health ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Children’S Health ◽

Number Of Children

Background: Over the past decades, the relation between children’s health risks of medical and social factors has changed. In order to determine health effects of some medicosocial factors among primary school children we conducted a questionnaire-based survey of parents in different years. Materials and methods: The studies were conducted in schools of the city of Ufa in the years 2005 and 2017 and included 456 and 465 parents of primary school children, respectively. Results: We established statistically significant relationships between the analyzed medicosocial factors and children’s health. We noticed a decrease in the number of children with the least risk of developing a disease and an increase in the number of children at risk. We also observed some differences between the years of research in adverse health effects of occupational factors in mothers, alcohol consumption by mothers during the perinatal period, and living conditions. Along with the already known risk factors, we found that chronic diseases and tobacco smoking of the father of the unborn child played an important role in the health of schoolchildren. The survey demonstrated that in the year 2017 primary school children spent less time watching television but much more time on the computer than in 2005. Conclusions: A systematic study of medical and social factors is essential for establishing children’s health risk factors and developing appropriate preventive measures. Most risk factors associated with the lifestyle and living conditions are manageable and this fact emphasizes the importance of creating a healthy lifestyle of children and their parents.

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