Given the epidemic of obesity worldwide study of other environmental risk factors has result in ID’ing, what has been labeled “environmental obesogens.”
Media has long been touting the health hazards of the plastic component bisphenol-A (BPA). Developed in the 1930’s as a synthetic estrogen, today it is used in polycarbonate plastic. It’s found in sunglasses, CD’s and the fillings in your teeth, and is used to coat the inside of tin cans and make plastic shatterproof. It is found in drinking receptacles and so much more.
BPA in animal studies has been linked to obesity
Research (funded by the National Science Foundation of China) has shown a relationship between presences of urine BPA concentration and being overweight. In girls ages 9 to 12, a higher urine concentration of the plastic component bisphenol-A (BPA) was more likely to put them in the 90th percentile on weight charts. * This was in a linear relationship more urine BPA greater weight.
This study corrected/adjusted for age and gender hence the very curious result that only girls not boys and only girls in this 9-12 age group had an obesity correlation!
Also adjustment for schooling, residence, parental and maternal education and overweight, video game playing, unbalanced diet, depression scores, physical activity, and other dietary factors.
It is always a good rule to read ingredients on any product.
*Li DK, et al “Urine bisphenol-A level in relation to obesity and overweight in school-age children” PLOS ONE 2013; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065399.
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