Arkansas Children’s Awarded $3M to Study Impact of ‘Forever Chemicals’ on Child Development

Arkansas Children’s Research Institute on Monday announced it had received a $3 million grant from the the National Institutes of Health to explore how “forever chemicals” impact infant and child development.

The project will also look at whether a pregnant mom’s physical activity can offer some protection against those chemicals’ effects.

The work  is led by Aline Andres, a professor in the UAMS Department of Pediatrics and associate director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, one of six Human Nutrition Research Centers in the U.S.  The study will build on her team’s earlier findings that indicate prenatal exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can affect how genes are activated in the placenta, Arkansas Children’s said in a news release.

The man-made chemicals are often found in manufactured items ranging from carpets, clothing and personal care to cleaning products, cookware and food packaging. Some PFAS have been associated with negative health effects, and because of their widespread use and persistence, they can build up in living organisms. The research team aims to understand how PFAS may impact maternal and child health during the prenatal and postnatal period.

“By working closely with experts from many fields, our team will find out how PFAS affect children as they grow,” Andres said in the release. “Our goal is to find ways to protect children from any potential harm these chemicals could cause.”

The team will investigate how exercise during pregnancy impacts prenatal PFAS exposure, placental PFAS exposure and function, and postnatal health.

“We know that exercise is the key to improved health in many situations,” Andres said. “We’re excited to see if this may be one more way physical activity leads to healthier families.”