Abstract
Background: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been suggested to be linked to obesity. We have previously shown that less-chlorinated PCBs were positively related to fat mass, while highly-chlorinated PCBs were inversely related to obesity.Objective: The aim of the present evaluation is to investigate the relationship between retrospective assessed life-time change in body weight (20-70. years) with circulating POP levels measured at age 70. years.Methods: 1016 subjects aged 70. years were investigated in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUSs) study. 16 PCBs and 3 OC pesticides were analyzed using HRGC/HRMS. Current body weight was measured and participants self-reported their weight at age 20.Results: The average estimated weight change over 50. years was 14.4. kg. Both the sum of OC pesticide concentrations (4.3. kg more weight gain in quintile 5 vs. quintile 1, p< 0.0001) and the sum of the less-chlorinated PCBs were positively related to the estimated weight change (3.7. kg more weight gain in quintile 2 vs. quintile 1, non-linear relationship p=0.0015). In contrast, the sum of concentrations of highly-chlorinated PCBs were inversely related to estimated weight change (8.4. kg less weight gain in quintile 5 vs. quintile 1, p< 0.0001).Conclusion: High levels of OC pesticides and the less-chlorinated PCBs at age 70 were associated with a pronounced estimated weight change over the previous 50. years. However, the opposite was seen for highly-chlorinated PCBs. Differences in mode of action, toxicokinetics, non-linear relationships and reverse causation might explain these discrepancies.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 998-1004 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Chemosphere |
Volume | 90 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2013 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS).
Keywords
- Elderly
- Fat mass
- Life time weight change
- Obesity
- Persistent organic pollutants