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Associations of Plastic Bottle Exposure with Infant Growth, Fecal Microbiota, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids
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Researchers examined whether plastic bottle use at three months of age was associated with infant growth, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acid levels over the first year of life. They found that plastic bottle frequency was not strongly linked to measures of body fat or growth, and initial associations with gut bacteria were weakened after adjusting for diet. The study calls for further research into health effects from other plastic-based products and direct measurements of microplastic exposure in infants.
Plastic bottle frequency at 3 months was not strongly associated with measures of adiposity or growth (save for length-for-age) over the first year of life, and while plastic bottle use was associated with some features of fecal microbiota and SCFAs in the first year, these findings were attenuated in multivariable models with infant diet. Future research is needed to assess health effects of exposure to other plastic-based products and objective measures of microplastics and plastic constituents like phthalates.
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Associations of Plastic Bottle Exposure with Infant Fecal Microbiota, Short-Chain Fatty Acids, and Growth
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Researchers investigated associations between plastic bottle use and infant gut health, examining whether exposure influences early fecal microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid levels, and growth trajectories in infants.
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A Scoping Review of Microplastic Contamination in Infant Foods: Exposure Pathways and Implications for Nutrition and Health of Children
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Researchers reviewed 28 existing studies and found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics show up in baby formula, breast milk, feeding bottles, and even in babies' first bowel movements — meaning infants are exposed before birth and through their earliest meals. While scientists don't yet know exactly how this affects babies' health long-term, the widespread presence of these particles in infant nutrition is concerning enough that researchers are calling for more safety research and cautious steps to limit exposure in the meantime.
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Researchers detected microplastics in nearly 39% of breast milk samples from 59 mothers, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types found. The presence of microplastics was linked to changes in the bacterial makeup of breast milk, raising concerns about early-life microplastic exposure in infants during breastfeeding.
Exposure to polyethylene microplastics alters immature gut microbiome in an infant in vitro gut model
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Researchers used an artificial infant gut model to study how chronic exposure to polyethylene microplastics affects the developing intestinal microbiome. They found that microplastics shifted gut microbial composition, increasing the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae while decreasing beneficial butyrate production. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion may disrupt the gut microbiome of infants, though no significant damage to the intestinal barrier was observed.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.