Abstract
Background: Environmental exposures in early life influence the development of behavioral outcomes in children, but research has not considered multiple exposures. We therefore aimed to investigate the impact of a broad spectrum of pre- and postnatal environmental exposures on child behavior. Methods and findings: We used data from the HELIX (Human Early Life Exposome) project, which was based on six longitudinal population-based birth cohorts in Europe. At 6–11 years, children underwent a follow-up to characterize their exposures and assess behavioral problems. We measured 88 prenatal and 123 childhood environmental factors, including outdoor, indoor, chemical, lifestyle and social exposures. Parent-reported behavioral problems included (1) internalizing, (2) externalizing scores, using the child behavior checklist (CBCL), and (3) the Conner's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) index, all outcomes being discrete raw counts. We applied LASSO penalized negative binomial regression models to identify which exposures were associated with the outcomes, while adjusting for co-exposures. In the 1287 children (mean age 8.0 years), 7.3% had a neuropsychiatric medical diagnosis according to parent's reports. During pregnancy, smoking and car traffic showing the strongest associations (e.g. smoking with ADHD index, aMR:1.31 [1.09; 1.59]) among the 13 exposures selected by LASSO, for at least one of the outcomes. During childhood, longer sleep duration, healthy diet and higher family social capital were associated with reduced scores whereas higher exposure to lead, copper, indoor air pollution, unhealthy diet were associated with increased scores. Unexpected decreases in behavioral scores were found with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organophosphate (OP) pesticides. Conclusions: Our systematic exposome approach identified several environmental contaminants and healthy lifestyle habits that may influence behavioral problems in children. Modifying environmental exposures early in life may limit lifetime mental health risk.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 106523 |
| Journal | Environment international |
| Volume | 153 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:ISGlobal acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the ?Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023? Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. We are grateful to all the participating children, parents, practitioners and researchers in the six countries who took part in this study. We further thank Muireann Coen, Sonia Brishoual, Angelique Serre, Michele Grosdenier, Prof Frederic Millot, Elodie Migault, Manuela Boue, Sandy Bertin, Veronique Ferrand-Rigalleau, C?line Leger, Noella Gorry, Silvia Fochs, Nuria Pey, Cecilia Persavente, Susana Gros, Georgia Chalkiadaki, Danai Feida, Eirini Michalaki, Mariza Kampouri, Anny Kyriklaki, Minas Iakovidis, Maria Fasoulaki, Ingvild Ess?n, Heidi Marie Nordheim, and the Yorkshire Water. The LIFE-CYCLE project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 733206. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects ?CP14/00108 & PI16/00261? (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund ?A way to make Europe?). LM is funded by a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporaci?n fellowship (IJC2018-035394-I) awarded by the Spanish Ministerio de Econom?a, Industria y Competitividad. JJ hold a Miguel Servet contract (MS14/00108) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-206) under grant agreement no 308333 ? the HELIX project. CW received funding from the Fondation de France (00069251, France). MC received funding from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) (MS16/00128). INMA data collections were supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERESP, and the Generalitat de Catalunya- CIRIT (Spain). KANC was funded by the grant of the Lithuanian Agency for Science Innovation and Technology (6-04-2014_31V-66). The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Ministry of Education and Research. The Rhea project was financially supported by European projects, and the Greek Ministry of Health (Program of Prevention of obesity and neurodevelopmental disorders in preschool children, in Heraklion district, Crete, Greece: 2011- 2014; ?Rhea Plus?: Primary Prevention Program of Environmental Risk Factors for Reproductive Health, and Child Health: 2012-15). The work was also supported by MICINN [MTM2015-68140-R] and Centro Nacional de Genotipado- CEGEN- PRB2- ISCIII (Spain). This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Collaboration for Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Yorkshire and Humber (UK). Core support for Born in Bradford is also provided by the Wellcome Trust (WT101597MA, UK). Project ?PI16/00118?, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF) ?A way to make Europe?. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects ?CP14/00108 and PI16/00261? (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund ?A way to make Europe?). Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Funding Information:
ISGlobal acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. We are grateful to all the participating children, parents, practitioners and researchers in the six countries who took part in this study. We further thank Muireann Coen, Sonia Brishoual, Angelique Serre, Michele Grosdenier, Prof Frederic Millot, Elodie Migault, Manuela Boue, Sandy Bertin, Veronique Ferrand-Rigalleau, Céline Leger, Noella Gorry, Silvia Fochs, Nuria Pey, Cecilia Persavente, Susana Gros, Georgia Chalkiadaki, Danai Feida, Eirini Michalaki, Mariza Kampouri, Anny Kyriklaki, Minas Iakovidis, Maria Fasoulaki, Ingvild Essén, Heidi Marie Nordheim, and the Yorkshire Water.
Funding Information:
The LIFE-CYCLE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 733206. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects “CP14/00108 & PI16/00261” (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”). LM is funded by a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación fellowship (IJC2018-035394-I) awarded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. JJ hold a Miguel Servet contract (MS14/00108) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-206) under grant agreement no 308333 – the HELIX project. CW received funding from the Fondation de France (00069251, France). MC received funding from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) (MS16/00128). INMA data collections were supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBERESP, and the Generalitat de Catalunya- CIRIT (Spain). KANC was funded by the grant of the Lithuanian Agency for Science Innovation and Technology (6-04-2014_31V-66). The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Ministry of Education and Research. The Rhea project was financially supported by European projects, and the Greek Ministry of Health (Program of Prevention of obesity and neurodevelopmental disorders in preschool children, in Heraklion district, Crete, Greece: 2011- 2014; “Rhea Plus”: Primary Prevention Program of Environmental Risk Factors for Reproductive Health, and Child Health: 2012-15). The work was also supported by MICINN [MTM2015-68140-R] and Centro Nacional de Genotipado- CEGEN- PRB2- ISCIII (Spain). This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Collaboration for Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Yorkshire and Humber (UK). Core support for Born in Bradford is also provided by the Wellcome Trust (WT101597MA, UK). Project “PI16/00118”, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF) “A way to make Europe”. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects “CP14/00108 and PI16/00261” (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
