Studies published in December 2025 highlight that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can disturb fat metabolism and potentially lead to the development of metabolic diseases, like obesity.
A large epidemiological study on the Boston Birth Cohort with more than 1’000 participating mother-child pairs investigated the association between the presence of eight PFAS in maternal plasma and their children being overweight or obese in childhood or adolescence. Zeyu Li from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA, and co-authors published their findings on December 19, 2024, in the journal Environment International. The results show that maternal exposure, particularly to perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS, CAS: 375-92-8) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS, CAS: 355-46-4), is associated with higher risk of being overweight or obese in childhood or adolescence. They included 1’189 mother-child pairs with diverse socio-economic backgrounds and children of various ages up to 18. Maternal plasma samples were taken within three days after delivery and tested for eight PFAS in a certified analytical laboratory. Children’s weight and height were measured multiple times between 2-18 years. It is one of the largest epidemiological studies on PFAS exposure during pregnancy and due to the long follow up period, it allows for assessing latent effects that set in during puberty. The authors statistically accounted for several factors like maternal education or maternal overweight or obesity but did not assess PFAS exposure of the children after birth.
In an in-vitro study, published on December 25, 2025, in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, Lanyin Tu from Sun Yat-sen University, China, and co-authors reported PFAS exposure to interfere with fat metabolism on a cellular level. The scientists tested exposure of two PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, CAS: 335-67-1) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX, CAS: 13252-13-6), during adipocyte cell differentiation. They measured the adipocyte number, lipid content, energy metabolism, and transcriptomic profile. The researchers found conflicting effects on the fat cells depending on the time of exposure. PFAS exposure could either lead to adipogenesis and lipid accumulation, associated with weight gain and obesity, or the formation of thermogenic brown adipocytes (also known as “browning”). Thermogenic brown adipocytes are responsible for maintaining body temperature by burning fats and sugars to produce heat, they typically support weight regulation and can reduce the risk of obesity. The authors recommend that “these outcomes need to be further validated in an in-vivo model”.
Natalia Bulawska and colleagues from the University of Gdansk, Poland, screened several thousand PFAS for their ability to bind to nuclear hormone receptors including estrogen, androgen, retinoid, and glucocorticoid receptors. Their in-silico study was published in the journal Chemosphere on December 15, 2025. Several of the screened receptors are involved in regulating metabolism and weight. They found more than 1’200 PFAS to likely interact with androgen and estrogen receptors. The activity of a substance was dependent on its molecular size, branching, and fluorine content. Interestingly, particularly longer-chain PFAS demonstrated a higher probability of binding to all receptors under investigation. The authors recommended that PFAS with high binding probability should be prioritized for further experimental investigation.
References
Zeyu Li, et al. (2025). “Associations of early life per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with body mass index and risk of overweight or obesity at age 2–18 years: Mixture analysis in the prospective Boston Birth Cohort”. Environment International. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109206
Lanyin Tu, et al. (2024).“Time-Course Strategy Reveals a Dual Potential of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Its Alternative in Adipocyte Differentiation.” Environmental Science and Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c06425
Natalia Bulawska, et al. (2025) “PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) as EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) – Identification of compounds with high potential to bind to selected terpenoids NHRs (nuclear hormone receptors)”. Chemosphere. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143967
Other recent research
Xingye Zhou, et al. (2024). “Association between family economic situation and serum PFAS concentration in American adults with hypertension and hyperlipemia.” Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71664-0
Zuhai Chen, et al. (2024). “Associations between co-exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and metabolic diseases: The mediating roles of inflammation and oxidative stress.” Science of The Total Environment. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176187
Fei Wang, et al. (2024).“Serum metabolome associated with novel and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and thyroid cancer risk: A multi-module integrated analysis based on machine learning.” Environment International. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.1092023
Jordan A. Burdeau, et al (2024). “Early Pregnancy Plasma Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Maternal Midlife Adiposity”. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae542
