Dive Summary:
- New research published in the journal Pediatrics links the chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates to health problems in teenagers.
- The BPA study looked at 10,000 children ages 6-18 and found greater obesity risk in those with high BPA levels in their urine.
- The second study looked at the phtalate DEHP, can be found in many processed foods, as it appeared in the urine of 766 adolescents ages 12-19, finding a greater likelihood of insulin resistance in those with higher DEHP levels.
Dive Insight:
Controversial findings are nothing new in BPA research. This year alone, another study linked BPA, which is often found in packaging materials, to obesity in young girls, while California added it to a state list of dangerous chemicals. Even researchers in many cases caution that these identified links do not constitute cause, but research will continue.