Plastic additives such as phthalates and bisphenols help to enhance the functionality of plastic materials. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous in the environment, and exposure to them has been speculated to trigger the T helper 2 immune response. Recently published research in Spring Nature has shown that prenatal and postnatal exposure to such additives can increase the risk of allergic conditions such as eczema, asthma, wheezing and rhinitis in preschool children.
Boissiere-O’Neill and colleagues analysed data from three longitudinal cohorts in Australia, the US and Canada. The study aimed to investigate the association of early-life exposure to plastic additives measured through urinary phthalates and bisphenols and the risk of allergic conditions (asthma, wheezing, eczema and rhinitis) in 5,306 children aged 5 years and under. The analysis was divided into two cohorts and the level of phthalate and bisphenol exposure was measured by urine samples prenatally and postnatally.
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There was only a statistically significant association found between exposure to plastic additives and an adverse allergic health outcome in the children in the prenatal cohort. Exposure to mono phthalate (MCPP) during pregnancy was associated with a very small (1.05) increased risk of rhinitis in preschool children compared to those who did not experience in utero exposure to MCPP. The timing of the exposure during pregnancy made a big difference in the level of risk associated with developing an allergic condition later in the child’s life. First-trimester exposure to bisphenol S (BPS) and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP) both yielded a stronger association, with a respective 2.45 and 1.43 increased risk of asthma in preschool children; the same was found for MCPP exposure and a 1.43 increased risk of eczema.
Second-trimester dibutyl phthalate (DBP), BBzP, and MCPP exposure were associated with a respective 1.14, 1.11 and 1.13 increased risk of asthma, while MCPP was associated with a 1.06 increased risk of rhinitis and 1.05 increased risk of wheezing compared to exposure during later pregnancy. Postnatal exposure to BBzP, MCPP and Di(2-ethyllhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) all increased the risk of wheezing – by 5%, 6% and 9% respectively.
Allergic conditions such as asthma are more common in children than adults and can impact the child’s quality of life and ability to take part in certain activities. In Australia, the US, and Canada combined, GlobalData epidemiologists have estimated that there will be 929,000 lifetime diagnosed prevalent cases of asthma in children aged 0 to 4 years by the end of 2025. The number of lifetime diagnosed prevalent cases (children aged 0-4 years who have ever been diagnosed with asthma) is projected to increase to 932,000 by the end of 2033.
The study addressed a gap in the literature, which investigated the relationship of EDCs in children aged 5 years and under, and also suggests that the point of exposure during pregnancy influenced risk. Increased research in this area in the form of longitudinal designs with repeated exposure measures could reveal more knowledge on the relationship between specific plastic additives and the risk of developing certain allergic conditions in childhood.
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