Source: CNN, 3/17/26
‘The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are increasingly known to potentially pose many threats, the latest of which may be child bone health, according to a new study. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of about 15,000 synthetic chemicals commonly used in products such as clothing, nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, food packaging, carpets, cleaning products, paints, and stain and water repellents. These compounds do not break down in the environment and can easily migrate into the air, dust, food and soil, also contaminating nearly half the drinking water in the United States. Notably, PFAS accumulate in our bodies and have been found in the blood of people of all ages, including newborns.’
Researchers found that PFAS chemical exposure in children tended to be related to lower bone strength in those individuals as young teens. This was particularly true for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), historically one of the most widely used and studied PFAS chemicals in the US. The findings suggest exposure to these chemicals may keep individuals from reaching their genetic potential for bone density, potentially raising risk for fractures and osteoporosis in older adulthood. The study was published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.