Packaging Chemicals Have Possible ADHD Link

A study carried out in the US has discovered a possible connection between industrial compounds known as PFCs (polyfluoroalkyl chemicals) that are used in packaging materials and the condition ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Undertaken by researchers working at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), the study results suggest that “increased odds of ADHD [existed] in children with higher serum PFC levels”, according to a quote published by Science Daily.

PFCs have both commercial and industrial applications. Products containing them including food packaging materials, stain-resistant coverings and fire extinguishers.

The study pulled together findings from NHANES – the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey – with the researchers looking at the relative levels of PFCs in 571 children aged between 12 and 15. Of these children, 48 were reported as having been diagnosed with ADHD.

PFCs and ADHD Link

Between 2003 and 2004, NHANES assessed over 2,000 blood samples provided by US residents and established that PFCs were present in more than 98 per cent of cases. This new study suggests a PFCs and ADHD link, but no evidence exists to explain it.

“There's a link between this exposure and outcome but we're not really sure what way that goes”, BUSPH representative Kate Hoffman explained, adding: “What we can say is children with this outcome tend to have higher levels of PFCs in their blood.”

PFCs: Packaging Chemicals

Four different PFC types were examined: PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), PFOA perfluorooctanoic acid, PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid) and PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid).

The timing of the collection of the PFC measurements coincided with the 48 new ADHD diagnoses. Bearing this in mind, Hoffman said, it could not be established whether PFC intake was a behavioural issue common to children with ADHD, or whether the presence of PFC was itself a trigger for ADHD.

ADHD is traditionally linked to impulsiveness, lack of attention and concentration and apparent randomness. Medically-speaking, it sits within the autistic spectrum of conditions and one-in-20 children are thought to have it.

“Given the extremely prevalent exposure to PFCs, further investigation into the impact of PFC exposure on ADHD and other neurodevelopmental endpoints is warranted”, the study concluded.