Urinary concentrations consisting of two common chemicals found in food packaging have been linked to an increased likelihood of obesity in children and insulin rejection in teenagers, two studies concluded.
The first study focused on Bisphenol A (BPA) concentration in urine samples and their association with certain health risks. BPA is commonly used in many plastics used to package food and beverage products.
For their study, researchers collected a variety of patient information, including:
- BMI
- Waist circumference
- Body fat percentage
- Cholesterol levels
- Insulin resistance
After collecting baseline data, researchers divided the participants into groups based on the levels of BPA found in their urine. The groups were <1.3ng/mL, 1.3 to 2.6ng/mL, 2.6 to 4.9ng/mL, and >4.9ng/mL.
Researchers found that individuals with the greatest amount of BPA in their urine were significantly more likely to have a body-mass index in the 95 percentile. Those individuals were also more likely to exhibit an unusually large waist circumference-to-height ratio.
Although the results are concerning, researcher Joyce Lee, MD, said she hoped for “longitudinal studies to confirm a possible casual association between BPA and excess body fat.”
Packaged Food and Diabetes
We’ve already written about the health risks associated with packaged foods like Lunchables, but a recent study suggests even the packages the foods are stored in could lead to the development of diabetes.
A study reported by Leonardo Trasande, MD, of New York University’s Langone Medical Center, and colleagues found that teens who had three times the expected amount of di-2-ethylhexel phthalate (DEPH) in their urine had a 27 percent increased likelihood of insulin resistance.
DEPH is commonly used in plastics to help soften the material, and the compound has already been banned by the European Union.
Transande said one of the easiest ways to decrease the concentration of DEHP metabolites in a person’s body is to focus on eating fresh fruits instead of processed varieties.
“Fresh fruits that were not canned or packaged in plastic reduced DEHP metabolites by 53% to 56%,” said Transande.
Dr. Silverman comments
The scary part of this study is that it’s hard to know what your food has been subjected to unless you harvest it yourself.
Moderation, dietary variation, focusing on fresh foods over canned options, and avoiding microwaving plastic containers can help keep these chemicals out of your body and your children’s body.
Related source: MedPage Today