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Review
. 2021 Dec 10;18(24):13047.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182413047.

Metabolic Syndrome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: An Overview of Exposure and Health Effects

Elsi Haverinen  1 , Mariana F Fernandez  2   3   4 , Vicente Mustieles  2   3   4 , Hanna Tolonen  1
Affiliations
Review

Metabolic Syndrome and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: An Overview of Exposure and Health Effects

Elsi Haverinen et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is causing a significant health burden among the European population. Current knowledge supports the notion that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with human metabolism and hormonal balance, contributing to the conventionally recognized lifestyle-related MetS risk factors. This review aims to identify epidemiological studies focusing on the association between MetS or its individual components (e.g., obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension) and eight HBM4EU priority substances (bisphenol A (BPA), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides and heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic and mercury)). Thus far, human biomonitoring (HBM) studies have presented evidence supporting the role of EDC exposures on the development of individual MetS components. The strength of the association varies between the components and EDCs. Current evidence on metabolic disturbances and EDCs is still limited and heterogeneous, and mainly represent studies from North America and Asia, highlighting the need for well-conducted and harmonized HBM programmes among the European population. Rigorous and ongoing HBM in combination with health monitoring can help to identify the most concerning EDC exposures, to guide future risk assessment and policy actions.

Keywords: HBM4EU; diabetes; dyslipidemia; endocrine disrupting chemicals; human biomonitoring; hypertension; insulin resistance; metabolic syndrome; obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Identified associations between substances and components of metabolic syndrome (color of the line refers to the substance and line type to the component of the metabolic syndrome).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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