Parent Title:
The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
Grant Number:
Principal Investigator:
Rundle, Andrew G
Institution:
Columbia University
Most Recent Award Year:
2009
Lifestage of Participants:
Exposure:
Prenatal; Youth (1-18 years); Adulthood (mother)
Assessment:
Youth (1-18 years)
Exposures:
Air Pollutants:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Personal Care/Consumer Products:
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Health Outcomes:
Metabolic Outcomes:
Metabolic syndrome; Obesity/body weight
Biological Sample:
Cord blood; Urine (mother, child)
Environmental Sample:
Air sample
Other Participant Data:
Height; Weight; Body composition
Genes or Other DNA Products Studied:
Genes involved in adipogenesis and hunger control
Epigenetic Mechanisms Studied:
DNA methylation
Abstract:
The specific aims are to evaluate whether prenatal and early-life exposures to the endocrine disruptors, bisphenol-A (BPA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), during pregnancy and early-childhood are associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome among children during early adolescence. The research will be conducted within the ongoing longitudinal birth cohort of African American and Dominican children from inner-city communities in New York City being conducted by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. BPA and PAH exposures are widespread among cohort mothers and children. Both compounds have been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome in experimental and preliminary human studies. The research is timely; childhood obesity is increasing rapidly within the United States, with rates highest among minority populations. By age 5 years, 43% of our cohort children exceed the 85% of weight for age. The epidemic is likely to have significant public health implications, particularly among minority populations, as obesity is linked to risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We propose to follow the children in the cohort to age 8-10 years and will assess height, weight, and body composition at ages 5, 7 and 8-10 years and metabolic syndrome components at ages 8-10. Exposure dosimeters are PAH concentrations in maternal prenatal personal air samples and PAH and BPA metabolites concentrations in urine samples collected and stored from the mother during pregnancy and from the child at ages 3,5, and 7 years. We hypothesize that prenatal exposure to PAH and BPA (1) will be associated with higher weight gain trajectories from age 5 to 8-10, and at age 8-10 years with BMI z-score, fat mass and metabolic syndrome components and (2) will alter the methylation status of key genes involved in adipogenesis and hunger control measured in umbilical cord while blood cells, which will mediate the association between postnatal exposures to the endocrine disruptors and childhood obesity outcomes. The research will provide important data on whether prenatal/early-life exposures to endocrine disruptors predicts childhood obesity/metabolic syndrome and will test hypotheses regarding underlying epigenetic mechanisms.
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Related NIEHS-Funded Study Populations
New York City Mothers and Newborns Study
Principal Investigator:
Perera, Frederica
| Study Population Page Study Population c25
Institution:
Columbia University
Location:
New York, New York
Number of Participants::
~725 Mother-infant pairs
Brief Description::
This is a birth cohort study of minority mothers and children in New York City that examines the effects of early life exposures to air pollutants, environmental tobacco smoke, pesticides, and endocrine disrupting chemicals on children's neurodevelopment, respiratory health, growth, and development. The study has recruited approximately 725 pregnant mothers since 1998.