Aflatoxin Stunts Growth in Children

Christopher P. Wild, Ph.D.
University of Leeds, UK
P01ES06052 to John Groopman, Ph.D. at John's Hopkins University

Background: Aflatoxins are produced by molds that contaminate food products such as nuts and corn in hot and humid climates with poor food storage conditions. Consumption of aflatoxin is known to increase the risk of liver cancer in humans. This risk is amplified when aflatoxin exposure occurs in conjunction with hepatitis infection. Laboratory animal studies have also demonstrated that aflatoxins are immunotoxic and cause growth retardation, but there is little evidence of these effects in exposed human populations.

Aflatoxin exposure of West African children is known to be high. To assess the effects of aflatoxin exposure on growth in children, these researchers conducted an epidemiologic study on 200 children 16-37 months of age in four African villages.

Advance: There was a strong negative correlation between blood aflatoxin levels and growth during the 8-month study. Children with the highest exposure were on average 1.7 centimeters shorter than those with the lowest exposure. In children from three of the four villages, aflatoxin levels were markedly increased with the greatest increases seen in children with the greatest exposures. Children who were still breastfeeding during the study period had lower aflatoxin levels than children who were fully weaned. The major food product used for weaning children in this region is a maize based porridge. Aflatoxin levels and micronutrient levels were not associated suggesting that aflatoxin exposure was not accompanied by a general nutritional deficiency.

Implications: This study confirms the effect seen in previous laboratory animal studies of stunted growth in children exposed to aflatoxin, although no mechanism is proposed. The authors conclude that aflatoxin exposure during early childhood is a serious problem in terms of adverse health effects and intervention measures to reduce exposure merit investigation.

Citation: Gong Y, Hounsa A, Egal S, Turner PC, Sutcliffe AE, Hall AJ, Cardwell K, Wild CP. Postweaning exposure to aflatoxin results in impaired child growth: a longitudinal study in Benin, West Africa. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Sep;112(13):1334-8.