Study links 'forever chemicals' to increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Jul 24, 2025
New York [US], July 24: Exposure to a class of synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as "forever chemicals", may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led by researchers at Mount Sinai. The findings were published in eBioMedicine.
The team conducted a nested case-control study within BioMe, a large, electronic health record-linked research database comprising records of more than 70,000 study participants who have sought care at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City since 2007.
Based on available data, the study analysed 180 people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and compared them to 180 similar individuals without diabetes. All participants were matched based on age, sex, and ancestry.
Researchers used blood samples to analyse PFAS levels - a group of chemicals used in everything from nonstick cookware to stain-resistant furniture to waterproof clothing -and found that higher levels of PFAS were associated with a significantly greater risk of developing T2D in the future.
Specifically, each increase in range of PFAS exposure was linked to a 31 percent increase in risk. The team also found that these associations could be due to metabolic irregularities in amino acid biosynthesis and drug metabolism, which may help explain how PFAS affect the body's ability to regulate blood sugar.
Findings from this study underscore the importance of preventing PFAS exposures to promote public health and of advancing knowledge about potential mechanisms underlying the PFAS' impacts on human metabolism.
Source: Emirates News Agency
