Inglaterra, peligro
Además, el estudio, dirigido por el Centro de Investigación en Epidemiología Ambiental (CREAL) de Barcelona y la Universidad de Estocolmo (Suecia), muestra que los mayores niveles de esta sustancia se observaron en los bebés nacidos en Inglaterra y los más bajos en los de Dinamarca.
La razón de los altos niveles de acrilamida que se observan en muchas mujeres es, sin duda, la dieta. Y es que se trata de una sustancia química que se forma al freír, asar, tostar u hornear alimentos ricos en carbohidratos como las patatas fritas, chips, bollería o cereales de desayuno; aumentando a mayor temperatura y tiempo de cocción de este tipo de alimentos.
Según el coordinador del estudio y director científico adjunto del CREAL, el Prof. Manolis Kogevinas, «el efecto estimado del alto nivel de exposición a la acrilamida sobre el peso de un bebé al nacer es comparable al efecto adverso conocido del tabaquismo”.
Implicaciones trascendentales
La investigadora del CREAL y primera autora del artículo, la Dra. Marie Pedersen, añade que “las implicaciones en salud pública de los resultados de este estudio son realmente importantes. Porque el peso al nacer está relacionado con numerosos efectos adversos para la salud en los primeros años de vida e incluso posteriormente, tales como estatura reducida, aumento de la incidencia de enfermedad cardiovascular, diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y osteoporosis. Además, la circunferencia de la cabeza es un indicador importante del crecimiento del cerebro y del desarrollo neurológico«.
De hecho, existe una creciente preocupación mundial acerca de los efectos potenciales para la salud de la exposición alimentaria a la acrilamida.
Los investigadores ya pueden afirmar que esta sustancia atraviesa la placenta y, por lo tanto, existe un particular riesgo para la salud del feto.
Hoy se han presentado los resultados del primer estudio en humanos para examinar la asociación entre la exposición a este componente durante el embarazo y el parto.
– En este estudio también han participado otros 20 centros de investigación en Europa, incluyendo el IMIM (Instituto Hospital del Mar de Investigaciones Médicas).
El uso de avanzadas técnicas biomédicas ha favorecido la medición de la acrilamida en sangre del cordón umbilical del recién nacido, lo que ha permitido a los investigadores conocer los niveles de exposición a la acrilamida durante los últimos meses de embarazo.
El proyecto europeo de investigación NewGeneris [[NewGeneris Project: Newborns and Genotoxic exposure risks
NewGeneris is an Integrated Project conducted within the European Union’s 6th Framework Programme, priority area Food Quality and Safety. Its objective is to investigate the role of prenatal and early-life exposure to genotoxic chemicals present in food and the environment in the development of childhood cancer and immune disorders.
During recent decades there has been an accelerating increase of the incidence of childhood cancers, especially leukemias. A world-wide increase is also observed in the prevalence among children of immune diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema/dermatitis.
There may be biological and etiological links between the onset of childhood cancer and immunological disorders. Among such possible links is exposure to genotoxic-carcinogens (i.e. carcinogenic chemicals capable of causing damage to the genetic material of cells) with associated immunotoxic properties, present in the environment, including food. NewGeneris is examining the possible role of exposure to such chemicals during pregnancy in the induction of increased risk of cancer and immune disorders in childhood. The relevance, for such risks, of analogous exposures of the fathers at the time of conception, as well as of the children themselves during their very early lifetime, is also being investigated.
Research approach
The main research tool used is biomarkers, i.e. chemical or cellular components of human fluids or tissues, which reflect exposure to, early effects of, or susceptibility to toxic chemicals. In NewGeneris, biomarkers are measured mostly in samples of maternal and umbilical cord blood collected from groups of mother-child pairs (birth cohorts) and stored in large collections ( biobanks ). Information regarding the dietary exposures of the mothers, the fathers and the children themselves during early life, is extracted from validated questionnaires. The combined analysis of data on exposure, biomarkers and information on the health status of the children as they grow older will be utilised to evaluate the role of early-life exposures in the causation of disease, to identify genetic traits which lead to increased individual susceptibility to disease and to evaluate their public health implications of such findings.
Towards a European birth mega-cohort
comeThe biological samples available to NewGeneris from already existing biobanks in 5 different European regions, while 3 new biobanks will also be created. Between them, these biobanks represent a total of around 300,000 mother-child pairs, constituting in effect a virtual European birth mega-cohort with subjects coming from regions with a wide diversity of environmental conditions and dietary and lifestyle habits. This makes NewGeneris one of the largest studies of its kind ever conducted and provides it with a unique potential to discern the role of food-borne chemicals in the etiology of childhood cancer and immune disease.
Social relevance: Safer food and environment to protect children
With its emphasis on health risks for newborn children associated with in utero exposure to chemicals as a consequence of their dietary intake by the mother, NewGeneris provides a novel perspective on the issue of food safety. From the project/s results, policy measures may be derived to improve food quality by appropriate selection of raw materials and use of appropriate food production methods. The ultimate aim is to contribute to the protection of child health through the formulation of improved health policies, more effective food regulations specially targeted at children and better food quality.
NewGeneris also serves the objective of the EU Sixth Environment Action Programme to achieve a quality of the environment where the levels of man-made contaminants do not give rise to significant impacts on or risks to human health, by contributing to the research effort to develop science-based risk assessment into a tool for improved chemical and food safety.
NewGeneris.]].
Este estudio forma parte de NewGeneris, un proyecto integrado dentro del 6º Programa Marco de la Unión Europea, del área prioritaria «Calidad y seguridad alimentaria».
El objetivo es investigar el posible papel de la exposición química a través de la dieta durante el embarazo, en la inducción de un aumento del riesgo de cáncer y trastornos del sistema inmune en la infancia, junto con los efectos sobre los resultados del parto. NewGeneris está coordinado por el Prof. Jos Kleinjans de la Universidad de Maastricht.
– Artículo de referencia: “Birth Weight, Head Circumference, and Prenatal Exposure to Acrylamide from Maternal Diet: The European Prospective Mother-Child Study (NewGeneris)”. Marie Pedersen, Hans von Stedingk, Botsivali Maria, Silvia Agramunt, Alexander Jan, Brunborg Gunnar, Leda Chatzi, Fleming Sarah, Fthenou Eleni, Granum Berit, Kristine B Gutzkow, Laura J Hardie, Lisbeth E Knudsen, Soterios Kyrtopoulos A, Michelle Méndez, A, F Domenico Merlo, Jeanette K Nielsen, Per Rydberg, Dan Segerbäck, Jordi Sunyer, John Wright, Margareta Törnqvist, Kleinjans Jos C y Manolis Kogevinas. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1205327
Fuentes: Asociación Vida Sana, IMIM (Institut Hospital del Mar d’ Investigacions Mèdiques)
(19 de noviembre de 2012)
