Chemical Found In Many Household Plastics Could Be Playing A Role In Unwanted Weight Gain
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- From water bottles to food packaging, it seems like we are constantly being hit with a barrage of warnings about the negative side effects of plastics. Now, a new study suggests that plastics could be making us fat.
Laura Newman blames the chemicals found in plastics like Bisphenol-A, commonly referred to as BPA, for causing her to pack on extra pounds.
"I realized, wait a minute, you're ingesting quantities of this stuff all the time," she told CBS 2's Kristine Johnson.
And according to some health experts, Newman may be right.
"BPA is one of the largest production volume chemicals in the world. This is a chemical used in a lot of things. The linings of cans, plastic food containers and water bottles, and it comes from receipts that you get at the store," explained Kim Harley, an adjunct professor of public health at Berkeley.
BPA has been banned from children's products, by the FDA, due to a link between the chemical and certain cancers and behavioral disorders.
Pregnant mice that were exposed to plastics made with BPA gave birth to mice that became overweight later in life.
It is believed that the chemical may be seeping into foods, slowing down metabolisms and causing fat cells to multiply.
"We really need to look into what we're seeing in rats; it's also happening in humans," Harley said.
To avoid consuming high levels of BPA, experts recommend checking your plastic products. The number imprinted inside of the triangle indicates how much BPA is contained in the product. The numbers range from 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest amount of BPA.
Newman told CBS 2 that she tries to avoid BPA completely.
"I pretty much eliminated most of that stuff out of my life," she said.
She said once she stopped using products made with BPA, she went on to lose 40 pounds.
There are no laws limiting the use of BPA. It is commonly used to prevent packaging from corroding.
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