High BPA, DEHP Chemical Levels Linked to Obesity in Youths
According to new studies, the chemicals Bispehnol A (“BPA”) and Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (“DEHP”) have been linked to obesity and insulin resistance in adolescents. DEHP is a phthalate chemical that has been designated by the State of California as known to cause reproductive toxicity. Products offered for sale in California containing DEHP must be accompanied by a health hazard warning. BPA was previously designated by the State of California as known to cause reproductive toxicity as well, but as a result of a lawsuit brought by the American Chemistry Council, BPA has been de-listed as a reproductive toxicant for the time being.
In one study, the researchers measured the level of DEHP in the urine of 766 adolescents ages 12 to 19. The results showed that teens with higher amounts of DEHP in their urine had increased rates of insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to Type 2 diabetes. The results did not hold when testing was done for other kinds of phthalates more commonly found in cosmetics and personal care products.
Another study, examining the relationship of BPA and obesity in children ages 6 to 18, showed that children with the highest amounts of BPA in their urine had double the risk of being obese compared to those with lower levels of BPA in their urine.
The researchers from NYU School of Medicine acknowledged that the results did not allow them to definitively take the position that BPA was causing adolescent obesity, but the findings added to a growing body of research being conducted about the effects of BPA in humans and animals.
The study provides further support for the theory that certain chemicals are “obesogens” that alter the body’s metabolism, making it harder for people to lose weight regardless of their diet or levels of exercise.
The study, which consisted of surveys of 2,893 youths ages 6 to 18, found that more than 22% of those with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were obese compared to 10% of those with the lowest levels.
Researchers in yet another study found that children with higher levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to have an abnormal waist circumference-to-height ratio. Surprisingly, there was no association between high levels of BPA and increased risk of cardiovascular and diabetes in youths, which had been established in adults. It is possible that the adverse effects of BPA compound over time with health effects that only later manifest in adulthood.
The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.