Overview
- The Journal of the Endocrine Society paper analyzed 218 children in a birth cohort, measuring PFAS in cord blood and at ages 3, 8, and 12, then assessed bone mineral density at 12 across six sites.
- Higher PFOA at birth, 3, 8, and 12 was consistently linked to lower forearm bone density, with additional links observed for PFNA at 12 and PFOS at 8, while spine measures showed no association.
- Timing mattered for other compounds: higher PFAS levels at age 3 were associated with higher bone density at 12, whereas higher levels at ages 8 and 12 were associated with lower density across most sites.
- Effects were generally stronger in girls in some analyses, and mixture modeling supported age-dependent patterns with increases at 3 linked to higher bone density and increases at 8 and 12 linked to lower values.
- Authors and outside experts emphasized observational limits, proposed endocrine disruption and bone accumulation as possible mechanisms, and reiterated guidance to reduce exposure through certified water filters, alternative cookware, and avoiding PFAS-treated food packaging.