Swedish Survey Raises Concerns About Toddlers’ Dietary Exposure to BPA, PFAS, Lead
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A survey of Swedish toddlers conducted by the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) has found high levels of some toxic substances—such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), bisphenol A (BPA), and lead—in the children’s bodies, presumably from dietary exposure. The survey was carried out as part of the Riksmaten Young Children dietary study, conducted from 2021–2023, which collected information on the eating habits of infants, toddlers, and children.
For the Riksmaten study, more than 1,800 families across Sweden recorded what their children ate over the span of two days, and nearly 600 children provided blood and/or urine samples. The study focused on kids between the ages of one-and-a-half and four. The samples were analyzed for toxic substances found in foods, like heavy metals and environmental contaminants. Sample collection and analyses were carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's health-related environmental monitoring.
Most of the substances for which the samples were analyzed were present in the children at low enough levels as to not pose a health concern, consistent with previous Swedish studies, according to the Swedish Food Agency. However, a proportion of the children had higher levels of PFAS or lead in their bodies than is desirable.
Additionally, the Swedish Food Agency reported that the levels of BPA in urine samples were cause for concern and suggest that humans are ingesting too much BPA, consistent with the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In December 2024, EFSA officially adopted a ban on the use of BPA in food contact materials, following an April 2023 reassessment of the health risks posed by dietary exposure that led the agency to lower the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for the chemical by 20,000 times.
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