There have been some recent studies that show a link between chemicals and health dangers that correlate to increased obesity rates.
The chemicals in question are called phthalates.
Phthalates are used in the creation of plastics, and in some personal care products.
They include bisphenol and perfluorooctanoic acid.
Bisphenol is used in plastics to make them pliable.
Bisphenol-a is commonly known as BPA.
Perfluorooctanoic acid is used in the manufacture of non-stick cookware.
Wouldn't it be just great if all those non stick pans we all buy that save so many calories in cooking are making us fat.
And not only that, all the bottled waters we are drinking instead of those sugary colas very likely are doing the same.
Health Safety concerns are now being raised about plastics used in bottled waters.
There is evidence that they may leach out into our tissues and make us sick over time.
BPA's and phthalates have been shown to interfere with estrogen and other reproductive hormones.
BPA's in water bottles, in other plastics, and even tin can liners has been linked to certain cancers, reduced fertility, and even diabetes.
Now there are new studies starting to come out that are beginning to link BPA's and other chemicals to obesity.
It makes perfect sense when you think about how these plastics are being found to affect our hormones, that weight gain could be one of the outcomes.
Anyone who has tried to lose weight in menopause knows that hormones are a factor in how difficult it is.
Diabetes is another condition that can weight loss efforts, as many diabetics know only too well.
Do we want to wait until this is proven conclusively, before we get these things out of our lives.
The study that was recently done that linked these chemicals to obesity, was a study that was conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
This study focused on girls in Harlem and East Harlem communities.
The study found that the girls in the study who had the highest levels of these chemicals in their urine, were also the heaviest girls.
There have been studies in mice previously that linked plastics like BPA to obesity.
The Mount Sinai Medical Center study was one of the first to show a link in humans between chemicals and overweight.
For more information on this study, you may visit this link to the New York Times.
I am sure there will be more research that will be conducted the next few years that show these chemicals disrupt even more aspects of our health than first thought.
It seems to me that getting them out of our lives and being vigilant about how the ways they sneak in makes sense.
It also makes sense to step up our efforts to lobby against these substances being allowing contact with our foods, and to take measure to protect our children from ingesting them now.
As I think about what is known about BPA safety so far, I wonder if girls are more susceptible because of female hormones to adverse affects.
More research is needed to determine if there are sex differences related to the health dangers that are raised in this study.
We also need more data to determine if adults are also at risk for obesity from these chemicals.
As for me, I am not waiting.
The chemicals are going along with the water bottles and tin cans until they are banned and made another way.
As for the non-stick pans, I have to admit I am pretty dependent on them.
I am willing to, at least minimize their use until the data is more clear.