The mixture effects of chemical polluants on the child’s overall health

Phenols, phthalates and parabens: what are they?

Phthalates, parabens and phenols are chemicals commonly found in everyday products, such as plastics, food packaging, toys and personal care products. Many of these substances are suspected to be endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with the hormonal system and may affect development.

Phenols, phthalates and parabens: how were they measured?

Urine samples were collected during pregnancy, at 2 months, and at 1 year of age to measure exposure to phthalates, phenols and parabens. The large number of samples collected made it possible to assess exposure accurately.

What is the 'mixture effect'?

The mixture effect of pollutants, also called the “cocktail effect”, refers to the effect of being exposed to several substances at the same time. This combined effect can sometimes be stronger than the sum of the effects of each substance taken separately.

Why look at overall health?

Until now, chemical pollutants have mostly been studied for their effects on specific diseases or specific aspects of children’s health. However, it is suspected that their effects may be broader and affect several areas at the same time, which could be reflected in a child’s overall health.

The general health score

The general health score aims to assess three areas of a child’s health: cardio-metabolic health, neurodevelopment, respiratory health and allergies.
This score was specifically developed for children in SEPAGES and is based on 23 measurements taken when the child was 3 years old.

Results

Our study suggests that:

• exposure to a mixture of parabens during pregnancy and infancy is associated with a poorer general health score at 3 years of age;
• exposure to a mixture of phthalates during pregnancy and infancy is also associated with a poorer general health score at 3 years of age.