Certain phthalate metabolites are associated with an increased incidence of diabetes in women, especially among White women, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Mia Q. Peng, MPH, and colleagues examined whether phthalate exposure was associated with an increased incidence of
diabetes among 1,308 women without diabetes in 1999-2000 who were followed for 6 years. Eleven phthalate metabolites were measured in 1999-2000 and 2002-2003. The HR for diabetes associated with each phthalate metabolite was estimated. A total of 61 women developed diabetes during 6 years, for a cumulative incidence of 4.7%. Several high molecular weight phthalate metabolites were associated with a higher incidence of diabetes among all women, but none were statistically significant. Effect modification was seen by race/ethnicity. Each
doubling of the concentrations of monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP), monobenzyl phthalate, monocarboxyoctyl phthalate, monocarboxyisononyl phthalate (MCNP), and mono (3-carboxypropyl) phthalate was associated with a 30% to 63% higher incidence of diabetes among White women (HRs, 1.30 and 1.63 for MCNP and MiBP, respectively). In Black or Asian women, phthalates were not associated with diabetes incidence.
