Kills 90 people annually: how a very dangerous element gets into our food

Everyone knows that we need to be careful about the food we eat. But, as it turned out, you should pay attention to certain types of packaging materials. In particular, it is best to avoid foods in plastic containers, as exposure to phthalates, or toxic chemicals found in many plastic food packaging, can have serious health consequences. A new study shows that phthalates cause 91 to 000 deaths a year. Writes about it Eat This Not That.

Photo: Shutterstock

Experts compared data from participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Survey for 2001–2010. with information on deaths by the end of 2015. They looked at all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality. Ultimately, the researchers found that phthalates increased the risk of all-cause death and death from cardiovascular disease.

“Phthalates disrupt metabolism in a variety of ways, especially by disrupting hormones,” said lead study author Leonardo Trasande, MD. “They also promote inflammation, a key process in heart disease.”

Although inflammation is a vital part of the healing process, chronic inflammation can have serious health consequences. In addition to being linked to heart disease, it may also increase the risk of cancer, arthritis, type II diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

“This is an important study regarding the health consequences of exposure to plastic-related chemicals,” says Monika Lind, Ph.D., environmental toxicologist and associate professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Uppsala University. “The study tells us that steps should be taken to minimize exposure to phthalates.”

This is probably a good idea, given that phthalates are associated with a myriad of daunting health effects. A 2012 study published in the journal Gene found a link between the endocrine-disrupting effects of phthalates and an increased risk of genital, prostate, ovarian, and breast disease. A 2016 article in Environment International highlighted the link between phthalates and fertility problems, respiratory diseases and brain disorders.

On the subject: Modern man eats kilograms of plastic: how it happens and how it threatens

Thus, keeping these risks in mind will help protect you from some of these negative health effects. Reducing your consumption of plastic-packed foods can be a good start, even if you think packaged foods are good for your health.

“People may assume that phthalates only contaminate unhealthy foods,” Trasande says. “This is not true—plastic wrappers are used in all types of food.”

Read also on ForumDaily:

Already collected 9 tons: an activist has created a device that cleans the world's oceans from plastic

Marketing Secrets: How Stores Make You Spend More

Doctors found a 10-centimeter piece of cement in a man's heart: how did it get there

Modern children consume a catastrophic amount of microplastics: research

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.