Contrasting Negative Effects of Multipollutant Exposure on Femoral and Spinal Bone Mineral Density: Findings from a Population-based Study in US Adults

Abstract

Summary Multipollutant exposures negatively impact femoral and spinal bone mineral density (BMD) in US adults. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are detrimental to femoral BMD, while phthalates are associated with decreased spinal BMD. Urgent actions are required to mitigate these environmental exposures and preserve bone health. Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between environmental exposures and osteoporosis. The study aimed to assess the impact of four categories of environmental chemicals, namely heavy metals, phthalates, PAHs, and phenols, on BMD. Methods: A population-based sample of 3029 participants from the United States was utilized for this investigation. Various statistical methods including generalized linear regression, generalized additive models (GAMs), quantile g-computation (Qgcomp) approach, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were employed to analyze the relationship between environmental chemicals and BMD. Results: The study findings demonstrate a negative association between blood and urine levels of environmental chemicals and BMD in the US adult population. Notably, the association between chemical exposure and BMD varied significantly between the spine and femur regions. The analysis further revealed distinct negative correlations between chemical mixtures and BMD in these two regions. Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence of the detrimental effects of multipollutant exposures to heavy metals, phthalates, PAHs, and phenols on BMD in the US population. Moreover, the study highlights the divergent negative associations observed between the spine and femur regions, with PAHs exerting a more pronounced adverse effect on BMD in the femoral region and phthalates exhibiting a stronger negative association with BMD in the total spine. These findings underscore the importance of minimizing exposure to these specific pollutants, particularly in individuals experiencing disparities in BMD between the spine and femur.