Bisphenol A exposure and symptoms of anxiety and depression among women of reproductive age

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used in multiple areas, including the manufacture of food packaging and containers. Dietary exposure accounts for >90% of total exposure. It is considered an endocrine disruptor, as it is suspected to adversely affect fetal development during intrauterine life and contribute to the development of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and mental health in adulthood. European law (Regulation (UE) 321/2011) banned BPA from polycarbonate infant feeding bottles, but it remains authorized for all other products with a tolerable daily intake of 4 μg/kg body weight/day (EFSA2015). We conducted a cross-sectional study of 56 women aged 18-40y to investigate the association between BPA exposure and the presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Subjects, recruited at ICANS, University of Milan, completed the STAI2 and QD questionnaires to investigate anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively. A blood sample was taken to determine exposure to total and unconjugated-BPA (metabolically active form). After adjustment for age, BMI, smoking and physical activity, total BPA (log-transform for linearity) was not associated with anxiety and depression, whereas unconjugated-BPA (transformed in square root for linearity) was significant associated with depression score (β(BPA) = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.21; p=0.042). Our data suggest that BPA exposure is associated with depressive symptoms in women in reproductive age.