Table 2.
Association of paraben exposure during adolescence and adiposity-related measures (ARM).
| Study/Country | Sample Size (Male/Female) | Year of Recruitment | Type of Study | Matrices | Time of ARM Assessment (Years of Age) |
ARM | Major Shortcomings | Major Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monteagudo et al. 2021, Spain [51] | 585 (313/272) | 2017–2018 | Cross-sectional | Food | 12–16 | BMI | Only the dietary sources of paraben exposure were assessed; cross-sectional nature of the study design; paraben concentrations were not measured in biological samples; caloric intake was not considered in the analysis. | High total parabens and MeP daily intake were associated with high BMI in girls but not boys. |
| Feizabadi et al. 2020, Iran [62] | 100 (50/50) | unknown | Cross-sectional | Urine | 12–20 | Weight, BMI; waist circumference | Small sample size; cross-sectional nature of the study design; only one spot sample was collected; caloric intake was not considered in the analysis. | Inverse associations were identified between urinary concentrations of paraben (MeP and EtP) and BMI. |
| Kim et al. 2020, Canada [64] | 1418 (695/723) | 2014–2015 | Cross-sectional | Urine | 3–17 | Height, weight, BMI; waist circumference | Cross-sectional nature of the study design; only one spot sample was collected. | No association was identified between urinary paraben concentrations and BMI z-score or waist circumference. |
| Quirós-Alcalá et al. 2018, United States [63] | 1324 (684/640) | 2007–2012 | Cross-sectional | Urine | 6–19 | BMI z-score; waist circumference | Cross-sectional nature of study design; only one spot sample was collected. | Negative associations were identified between urinary MeP, PrP, and total parabens concentrations and the prevalence odds ratios of being obese vs. normal weight; negative associations were identified between urinary MeP, PrP, and total parabens concentra-tions and waist circumference. The associations were stronger in girls. |
| Deierlein et al. 2017, United States [65] a | 1017 (0/1017) | 2004–2007 | Prospective | Urine | 12.8–18.4 | Weight, height, waist circumference, BMI; percent body fat | Only females were enrolled in the study; only one spot sample was collected; caloric intake was not considered in the analysis. | No association was identified between baseline total paraben concentrations in urine and girls’ adiposity-related measures. |
| Guo et al. 2017, China [61] | 436 (221/215) | 2012–2013 | Cross-sectional | Urine | 3 | Weight z-score, height z-score, weight for height z- score; BMI z-score | Cross-sectional nature of study design; only one spot sample was collected; caloric intake was not considered in the analysis. | Urinary EtP concentrations were positively associated with weight z-scores and height z-scores. Total paraben concentrations were associated with anthropometric measures only in boys. |
Footnotes: a Girls were enrolled at 6–8 years of age. Adiposity-related measures were assessed yearly or biannually until they were 15.6 years of age on average (range: 12.8–18.4 years of age); weight, height, and waist circumference were recorded at baseline. BMI, waist circumference, and percentage of fat were measured at each visit.