A recent study indicates that young individuals exposed to persistent “eternal chemicals” are more likely to regain weight after undergoing bariatric surgery. This could potentially threaten the long-term success of the procedure and result in health issues down the line, especially for patients who had elevated levels of these compounds before their surgeries, as outlined in research released on Thursday.
These eternal chemicals, known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are infamous for their longevity in both the human body and the environment, and are linked to a host of serious health conditions, including various cancers. PFAS can be found in numerous everyday products, such as certain firefighting foams, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, and waterproof clothing.
Bariatric surgery alters the digestive system and has been a go-to solution for severe obesity, aiming to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, many patients find themselves regaining weight over time, prompting researchers to investigate the reasons behind these weight regains.
One area of interest is how exposure to PFAS compounds might interfere with metabolic functions. Some studies have revealed these effects in adult populations, yet the implications for adolescents remain less clear.
“With the rise in weight loss interventions globally, understanding how PFAS relates to success in weight management is crucial,” noted Britney Baumert, a postdoctoral researcher at the Keck School of Medicine at USC.
In the study, Baumert and her colleagues tracked 186 teenagers from the Bariatric Surgery (Teen Love) Study, a national research initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health, involving surgeries performed between 2007 and 2012. Prior to their surgeries, researchers measured seven types of PFAS in the blood of each participant, alongside their body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, both before the surgery and at various intervals afterward.
By categorizing adolescents into groups based on low, medium, and high PFAS exposure, they compared weight gain and waist size changes across these cohorts. The findings revealed that those with high blood concentrations of three types of PFAS (PFOS, PFHXS, and PFHP) experienced greater weight gain and waist circumference increases between one to five years post-surgery.
For instance, in the case of PFOS, teenagers initially weighing over 328 pounds who belonged to the low exposure group regained an average of 35.9 pounds by year five, whereas those in the high exposure group regained about 46.9 pounds. In terms of PFHPS, individuals with the lowest exposure regained roughly 2.7% of their baseline body weight each year, while those in the highest group regained around 4.3%.
The authors hope these insights will enhance patient care. Given that bariatric surgery is both invasive and costly, it’s essential to identify which individuals would truly benefit from it.
Looking ahead, Baumert expressed interest in exploring whether PFAS exposure would influence other weight loss strategies, such as GLP-1 medications like Ozempic. The research contributes to a broader body of work aimed at guiding policymakers toward more stringent regulations regarding PFAS, particularly in public water sources.
“PFAS represents a modifiable risk factor, which makes protective policies critical for minimizing exposure and safeguarding public health, especially among vulnerable populations,” Baumert emphasized.
