Chemicals in plastics may boost kids’ risk for obesity
Chemicals used in plastic food wraps and containers could be contributing to childhood diabetes and obesity, two new studies claim.
One study links phthalates to increased
insulin resistance in children, while another associates bisphenol A
(BPA) with high body-mass index (BMI) and expanding waistlines. Both
studies appear online Aug. 19 and in the September print issue of
Pediatrics.
“There is increasing concern that
environmental chemicals might be independent contributors to childhood
diseases related to the obesity epidemic,” said phthalates study author
Dr. Leonardo Trasande, an associate professor of pediatrics and
environmental medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. “Our research adds
to these growing concerns.”
Trasande’s study reviewed insulin
resistance and urinary levels of phthalates in 766 kids aged 12 to 19.
Previous studies have linked phthalate exposure to insulin resistance in
animals and human adults.
Phthalates are chemicals used to soften
and increase the flexibility of plastics and vinyl. They are suspected
endocrine disruptors, and manufacturers have discontinued their use in
baby products like teething rings and pacifiers.
The study found that insulin resistance
in children increased with levels of a phthalate called
di-2-ethylhexylphthalate, or DEHP. The association held even after
researchers took into account the children’s caloric intake, BMI and
other risk factors for diabetes.
“There are lab studies suggesting these
chemicals can influence how our bodies respond to glucose,” Trasande
said. “In particular, they are thought to influence genes that regulate
release of insulin. There are other potential mechanisms, but that is
the main mechanism of concern.”
In the other study, researchers Dr.
Donna Eng and colleagues at the University of Michigan found that high
urinary levels of BPA are associated with increased risk of obesity.
BPA is used to make polycarbonate and
epoxy resins for a wide variety of products. For example, aluminum cans
use a BPA lining to prevent corrosion. It has been linked to a wide
variety of health concerns, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has banned its use in sippy cups, baby bottles and infant formula
packaging.
The study reviewed data on about 3,300
kids aged 6 to 18, and found that children with high BPA levels tend to
have excessive amounts of body fat and unusually expanded waistlines.
However, in a related journal
commentary, Dr. Robert Brent of Cornell University pointed out the
limitations of using urine levels alone to determine the extent or
impact of chemical exposure.
Dr. Hugh Taylor, chair of the Yale
School of Medicine’s department of obstetrics, gynecology and
reproductive sciences, said these studies “point out the vulnerability
of children to environmental chemicals. It seems the younger you look,
the more things are developing and the more vulnerable they are to these
type of insults.”
However, Taylor added that the food
wrapped in containers with phthalates and BPA likely are doing as much
or more to contribute to diabetes and obesity as the chemicals
themselves.
“It’s probably more about the type of
diet these kids are eating,” Taylor said. “A move toward healthier
natural food is always a good idea, not just because of the elimination
of BPA and phthalates but for all the other health benefits. If we think
about more common-sense eating of healthy foods that aren’t packaged in
a way that would introduce BPA and phthalates, we would be so much
better off.”
Trasande recommends that parents avoid
using plastic containers with the recycling numbers 3, 6 or 7, in which
phthalates or BPA are used.
“I also advise families not to microwave
plastics, hand wash plastic containers, and throw away plastic
containers where there is etching or other damage to them,” he said.
While the new studies found associations
between chemicals in plastic and insulin resistance and obesity in
children, they did not establish cause-and-effect.
Source: WebMd
Category: Health, Health News
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