Associations Between Food Frequency Checklist Responses and Internal Biomarkers of Exposure to Pesticides and Heavy Metals Among U.S.Pregnant Women
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A self-administered food frequency questionnaire checklist was collected over a 3-day period by 640 pregnant women to assess its utility for identifying associations between exposure to chemical contaminants and food consumption. Responses were segregated based on food categories. Demographic variables were obtained from survey results. Chemical measurements included cadmium, lead, and methylmercury in blood samples and urinary (creatinine corrected) total arsenic, six organophosphate metabolites (dialkylphosphates (DAPs)), and summed polyaromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (PAHs). Frequencies for each food group were compared to demographics and geometric mean concentrations of each contaminant to determine any associations using a one-way analysis of variance. Age, race/ethnicity, education, and household income showed significant associations with consumption of several food groups (p<0.05). Methylmercury concentrations were significantly associated with consumption of fish. Lead concentrations were significantly associated with consumption of milk, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables (p<0.05). Urinary metabolite concentrations and consumption of food categories indicated significant associations between total arsenic concentration and fish; individual DAPs concentrations and water, fruit, protein, and fish; and PAHs and water and grains (p<0.05). Demographic characteristics were associated with potential exposures to these participants. The utility of using the food frequency checklist to predict chemical exposures using biomarkers in blood and urine was mixed across chemicals and food types. Understanding associations between diet and related factors could lead to improved understanding of the impact of food choices that may provide pregnant women the ability to make informed decisions leading to improved health for mothers and babies.