Superfund Research Program

June 2023

Hot Publication

Exposure to PFAS can make it harder to keep weight off after dieting, according to NIEHS-funded researchers at The University of Rhode Island SRP Center. PFAS are widespread in the environment and have been linked to a large range of serious health issues, including harming metabolism and increasing obesity.

The team used data from a European cohort of nearly 1,800 individuals that first lost at least 8% of their body weight, and then completed a specific diet for at least 26 weeks. The researchers then examined the levels of five different PFAS in plasma samples from a subset of the group taken at the beginning of the study.

The researchers found significant links between weight gain and PFAS levels, regardless of the diet that participants followed. After a year of adhering to the diets, the researchers found that the participants with the highest level of PFAS in their blood had gained about 11 pounds more than those with lower PFAS levels.

These findings support mounting evidence that exposure to certain environmental toxins could explain the variable success of diets. The researchers suggest that the impact of PFAS chemicals on weight gain should be considered in future dietary studies to avoid confounding variables.

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