Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity,type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a review of epidemiologic findings |
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Authors: | Weipeng Qi John M. Clark Alicia R. Timme-Laragy |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA;2. Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA;3. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA |
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Abstract: | AbstractPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of fluoro-surfactants widely detected in the environment, wildlife, and humans, have been linked to adverse health effects. A growing body of literature has addressed their effects on obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This review summarizes the brief historical use and chemistry of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, routes of human exposure, as well as the epidemiologic evidence for associations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and the development of obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. We identified 22 studies on obesity and 32 studies on diabetes, while only 1 study was found for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by searching PubMed for human studies. Approximately two-third of studies reported positive associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and the prevalence of obesity and/or type 2 diabetes. Causal links between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, however, require further large-scale prospective cohort studies combined with mechanistic laboratory studies to better assess these associations. |
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Keywords: | Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS obesity diabetes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease non-alcoholic steatohepatitis epidemiology |
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