03/09/2021 / By Virgilio Marin
A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows that chemicals commonly found in plastics can increase diabetes risk. French and Australian researchers found that exposure to high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) is associated with a two times-higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.
BPA is used in disposable water bottles, takeaway containers and toys, while BPS is commonly used as a substitute for BPA. Low-level exposure to these chemicals comes from eating food or drinking water stored in containers made of them.
Previous studies suggest that BPA contributes to the development of Type 2 diabetes. However, the finding still needed ample backing and the studies only focused on BPA exposure. To that end, the researchers investigated whether exposure to BPA and BPS was associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes. They analyzed the urine samples of 755 healthy adults included in the Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome. Thirty of the participants were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the middle of the study.
After adjusting for food intake, weight and physical activity, the researchers found that those with high levels of BPA in their urine were more than twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those with lower BPA levels. Similar results were found for BPS.
“This study shows positive associations between exposure to BPA and BPS and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, independent of traditional diabetes risk factors,” wrote the researchers.
Co-author Dianna Magliano of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Australia said that the chemicals appear to disrupt how the body regulates insulin, a hormone that plays a central role in controlling blood sugar levels in the body. (Related: BPA replacement chemicals found to disrupt hormones much like BPA.)
“It disrupts all those normal pathways which give rise to insulin resistance,” explained Magliano. She recommended consumers to stop reusing takeaway plastic containers to minimize BPA exposure.
“We cannot completely eliminate BPA. But we can live a bit cleaner, limit your exposure to plastic. Buy decent water bottles and chuck out your takeaway plastics,” added Magliano.
Take a look at the following tips to reduce BPA exposure:
Put these tips in practice and maintain a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits to lower your exposure to BPA and prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Learn more about the health risks of BPA exposure at Chemicals.news.
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Tagged Under:
bisphenol A, bisphenol S, BPA, BPA exposure, BPS, diabetes risk, discoveries, plastic food containers, plastic water bottles, plastics, products, research, toxic chemicals, Type 2 Diabetes
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