- A new study suggests exposure to PFAS, often called forever chemicals, may be linked to lower bone density in adolescence.
- The association appeared strongest for some chemicals and may depend on when exposure happened during childhood.
- Girls seemed to be more affected than boys, although this was a relatively small study and more research is needed.
PFAS are man-made chemicals found in water, food packaging and many everyday products.
They are often called forever chemicals because they do not break down easily and can build up in the body.
A new study suggests that may matter for bone health.
Researchers followed 218 children from a long-running birth cohort and measured PFAS exposure at several stages of childhood.
Bone density was then assessed when the children reached age 12.
Higher levels of one PFAS chemical, PFOA, were linked with lower bone density in the forearm.
For other PFAS compounds, the pattern was less simple.
The link with bone density seemed to depend on when exposure happened.
That suggests some stages of childhood development may be more sensitive than others.
The associations were also stronger in girls than in boys.
That does not mean PFAS definitely cause weaker bones.
This was an observational study, so it cannot prove cause and effect.
- PFAS exposure may blunt blood sugar gains after bariatric surgery in teenagers
- Teenage weight gain after bariatric surgery triggered by elevated blood levels of PFAS
- PFAS: hormone-altering chemicals could be linked to certain cancers in women
But it adds to a growing body of evidence that early exposure to these chemicals may affect long term health in ways that are easy to miss at first.
Bone mass built during adolescence matters for life.
If bone development is impaired early on, the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later may be higher.
The findings also reinforce a broader point.
Reducing contamination in drinking water and consumer products is not just an environmental issue.
It may also be a child health issue.
