Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Socio-demographic inequalities influence differences in the chemical exposome among Swedish adolescents

Pineda, Sebastian ; Lignell, Sanna ; Gyllenhammar, Irina ; Lampa, Erik ; Benskin, Jonathan P ; Lundh, Thomas LU ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Kiviranta, Hannu and Glynn, Anders (2024) In Environment International 186.
Abstract

Relatively little is known about the relationship between socio-demographic factors and the chemical exposome in adolescent populations. This knowledge gap hampers global efforts to meet certain UN sustainability goals. The present work addresses this problem in Swedish adolescents by discerning patterns within the chemical exposome and identify demographic groups susceptible to heightened exposures. Enlisting the Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17 (RMA) study population (N = 1082) in human-biomonitoring, and using proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models, we examined the associations between concentrations of a diverse array of substances (N = 63) with the determinants: gender, age, participant/maternal birth country income per... (More)

Relatively little is known about the relationship between socio-demographic factors and the chemical exposome in adolescent populations. This knowledge gap hampers global efforts to meet certain UN sustainability goals. The present work addresses this problem in Swedish adolescents by discerning patterns within the chemical exposome and identify demographic groups susceptible to heightened exposures. Enlisting the Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17 (RMA) study population (N = 1082) in human-biomonitoring, and using proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models, we examined the associations between concentrations of a diverse array of substances (N = 63) with the determinants: gender, age, participant/maternal birth country income per capita level, parental education levels, and geographic place of living (longitude/latitude). Participant/maternal birth country exhibited a significant association with the concentrations of 46 substances, followed by gender (N = 41), and longitude (N = 37). Notably, individuals born in high-income countries by high-income country mothers demonstrated substantially higher estimated adjusted means (EAM) concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) compared to those born in low-income countries by low-income country mothers. A reverse trend was observed for cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), aluminium (Al), chlorinated pesticides, and phthalate metabolites. Males exhibited higher EAM concentrations of chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), Pb, PCBs, chlorinated pesticides, BFRs and PFASs than females. In contrast, females displayed higher EAM concentrations of Mn, Co, Cd and metabolites of phthalates and phosphorous flame retardants, and phenolic substances. Geographical disparities, indicative of north-to-south or west-to-east substance concentrations gradients, were identified in Sweden. Only a limited number of lifestyle, physiological and dietary factors were identified as possible drivers of demographic inequalities for specific substances. This research underscores birth country, gender, and geographical disparities as contributors to exposure differences among Swedish adolescents. Identifying underlying drivers is crucial to addressing societal inequalities associated with chemical exposure and aligning with UN sustainability goals.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Riksmaten, Ordinal regression, Exposome, UN sustainability goals, Socio-demographics, Birth country
in
Environment International
volume
186
article number
108618
pages
15 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85189754991
  • pmid:38593688
ISSN
1873-6750
DOI
10.1016/j.envint.2024.108618
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e0906580-62db-4adf-bad8-8aca0763e615
date added to LUP
2024-04-10 10:43:18
date last changed
2024-04-23 13:12:32
@article{e0906580-62db-4adf-bad8-8aca0763e615,
  abstract     = {{<p>Relatively little is known about the relationship between socio-demographic factors and the chemical exposome in adolescent populations. This knowledge gap hampers global efforts to meet certain UN sustainability goals. The present work addresses this problem in Swedish adolescents by discerning patterns within the chemical exposome and identify demographic groups susceptible to heightened exposures. Enlisting the Riksmaten Adolescents 2016-17 (RMA) study population (N = 1082) in human-biomonitoring, and using proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models, we examined the associations between concentrations of a diverse array of substances (N = 63) with the determinants: gender, age, participant/maternal birth country income per capita level, parental education levels, and geographic place of living (longitude/latitude). Participant/maternal birth country exhibited a significant association with the concentrations of 46 substances, followed by gender (N = 41), and longitude (N = 37). Notably, individuals born in high-income countries by high-income country mothers demonstrated substantially higher estimated adjusted means (EAM) concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) compared to those born in low-income countries by low-income country mothers. A reverse trend was observed for cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), aluminium (Al), chlorinated pesticides, and phthalate metabolites. Males exhibited higher EAM concentrations of chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), Pb, PCBs, chlorinated pesticides, BFRs and PFASs than females. In contrast, females displayed higher EAM concentrations of Mn, Co, Cd and metabolites of phthalates and phosphorous flame retardants, and phenolic substances. Geographical disparities, indicative of north-to-south or west-to-east substance concentrations gradients, were identified in Sweden. Only a limited number of lifestyle, physiological and dietary factors were identified as possible drivers of demographic inequalities for specific substances. This research underscores birth country, gender, and geographical disparities as contributors to exposure differences among Swedish adolescents. Identifying underlying drivers is crucial to addressing societal inequalities associated with chemical exposure and aligning with UN sustainability goals.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pineda, Sebastian and Lignell, Sanna and Gyllenhammar, Irina and Lampa, Erik and Benskin, Jonathan P and Lundh, Thomas and Lindh, Christian and Kiviranta, Hannu and Glynn, Anders}},
  issn         = {{1873-6750}},
  keywords     = {{Riksmaten; Ordinal regression; Exposome; UN sustainability goals; Socio-demographics; Birth country}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environment International}},
  title        = {{Socio-demographic inequalities influence differences in the chemical exposome among Swedish adolescents}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108618}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envint.2024.108618}},
  volume       = {{186}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}