How chemicals in breast milk may change babies' gut bacteria and influence weight in Hispanic children
Perfluoroalkyl Substances and the Gut Microbiome and Fecal Metabolome: Implications for Obesity Risk in Hispanic Children
['FUNDING_R01'] · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · NIH-11286829
This project looks at whether PFAS chemicals passed in breast milk change infant gut bacteria and stool chemicals and raise early childhood obesity risk in Hispanic families.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11286829 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You and your baby would be followed from early infancy while researchers measure PFAS levels in breast milk and track your child's growth over time. The team would collect infant stool samples to profile gut bacteria and fecal metabolites and compare babies with higher versus lower PFAS exposure. Laboratory analyses and statistical models would link exposure, microbiome and metabolite changes, and rapid infant weight gain. The focus is on Hispanic mother-infant pairs to understand risks during a key window when obesity might be prevented.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Hispanic breastfeeding mothers and their infants who can provide breast milk and stool samples and attend follow-up visits during early childhood.
Not a fit: Children who are older than the early infancy window, not breastfed, unwilling to provide samples, or not exposed to PFAS may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to reduce harmful PFAS exposure or guide early interventions to lower childhood obesity risk in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human studies have linked prenatal PFAS exposure to faster infant weight gain, but effects of PFAS in breast milk on the infant gut microbiome and growth are largely untested.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ALDERETE, TANYA LYNN — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: ALDERETE, TANYA LYNN
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus