Arsenic exposure remains a significant environmental health concern, particularly for children, due to its presence in groundwater and dietary sources. In early childhood, exposure to inorganic arsenic and its metabolites may interfere with growth and development. This study evaluates the relationship between urinary arsenic biomarkers and anthropometric measurements in young children using data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Speciated urinary arsenic concentrations, including inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) were assessed in children aged 3 to 5 years and matched with body measurement data. Detection frequencies of arsenic species were examined, and associations with height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference were evaluated. Results demonstrated no clinically meaningful associations between detectable urinary DMA and anthropometric measurements across the studied age groups, apart from a small but statistically significant height difference observed among 4-year-old children. Overall, these findings suggest that low-level arsenic exposure, as indicated by urinary DMA detection, did not adversely affect physical development in early childhood, supporting the need for longitudinal studies to further evaluate potential long-term developmental effects.
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