Latest findings from the Cincinnati-based HOME Study featured on NCS
A research exploring how early publicity to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can affect childhood bone growth is attracting nationwide headlines.
The research, published March 17, 2026, in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, was led by first creator Jessie Buckley, PhD, MPH, with the University of North Carolina. Cincinnati Children’s co-authors included Halley Wasserman, MD, MS, Kim Cecil, PhD, and Kimberly Yolton, PhD.
PFAS, often known as “forever chemicals,” are used to make many merchandise akin to non-stick cooking pans, water-repellant clothes, grease-proof popcorn baggage, shampoos, even firefighting foam. These chemical compounds can linger for years within the atmosphere and in the human physique. Years of analysis have documented well being impacts together with liver injury, most cancers dangers, lowered response to vaccines, elevated dangers of weight problems, preeclampsia, anxiousness and despair.
Disruptions in bone growth
The new bone well being research was based mostly on outcomes from 218 youngsters who’ve been adopted since start as a part of the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a longitudinal cohort that has been working at Cincinnati Children’s since 2001. All the info for this research was collected throughout research visits carried out on the Cincinnati Children’s Schubert Research Clinic.
The co-authors studied blood serum ranges of 4 PFAS chemical compounds—PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid) and PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid—collected at start from umbilical cords, and at ages 3, 8, and 12 years.
“We found that PFAS chemical exposure in children tended to be related to lower bone strength when they’re young teens,” Buckley advised NCS. “This was particularly true for one chemical, PFOA. It didn’t really matter when the exposure happened; it was consistently related to lower bone density, particularly in their forearm.”
More research are deliberate to find out how lowered bone density at age 12 carries via into maturity, with information lately collected in 2021-2025. Some associations have already been reported between PFAS publicity and osteoporosis threat in later life, however the information has been restricted in scope.
For dad and mom searching for to guard their youngsters, fully avoiding PFAS publicity is troublesome. But reductions could be achieved through the use of sure water filters, minimizing quick meals and sizzling drinks served in coated paper packaging, and studying product labels to keep away from PFAS elements.
About the HOME Study
The HOME Study started by monitoring 468 pregnant ladies and their offspring. The most up-to-date younger grownup research visits (ages 18-21) had been accomplished in July 2025.
The information consists of years of medical histories and development, neurobehavioral, psychological well being, and neuroimaging check outcomes. Meanwhile, 16 freezers home organic and environmental samples that proceed to gas analyses on the affect of environmental toxicant exposures. In addition to PFAS, the toxicants studied have included heavy metals, tobacco smoke, air air pollution, flame retardants, and plastics.
So far, the HOME Study cohort has supported greater than 220 scientific publications.
Future analysis research based mostly on the HOME Study cohort rely closely on funding, Yolton says. Some ongoing research have but to publish outcomes, and a variety of grant purposes are pending that may help novel analyses extending findings to younger maturity.
“There are a variety of ongoing discussions about next steps for active data collection with this highly engaged cohort,” Yolton says.
Read the NCS coverage of the bone health study
Read a media release from the Endocrine Society
Learn more about the HOME Study