BPA, Phthalates Linked to Weight Gain in Teenagers? Food Chemicals Tested

A recent study shows that the chemicals bisphenol A and phthalates are commonly linked to obesity and insulin resistance in adolescents. However, researchers note that they are uncertain whether there is a direct link between the compounds and these negative health effects.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that approximately one in six children or teenagers in America is now considered obese.

"Clearly unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the drivers of this epidemic ... but increasingly environmental chemicals are being identified as possible contributors," said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrician from New York University, according to Fox News.

The study measured levels of DEHP, a phthalate found in processed foods that was in the urine of 766 adolescents ages 12 to 19. Researchers found that higher amounts of DEHP in urine samples increased rates of insulin resistance, a condition that commonly leads to Type 2 diabetes.

Yet results showed that there was no association between insulin resistance and other types of phthalates that were found are typically seen in cosmetic and personal care products.

"In laboratory studies, phthalates influence the expression of genes related to how we respond to sugar ingestion with insulin secretion," said study researcher Dr. Leonardo Trasande, professor of environmental medicine and pediatrics at New York University, via Live Science. "A previous study has identified an association between phthalates and insulin resistance in adult males."

Yet researchers point out that the study does not show a direct link between the compounds in food and a possible connection to obesity.

However, according to Reuters Health, Transande told patients that the chemical could influence how the body secretes insulin when it consumes sugar. Due to this, he suggests that parents avoid buying plastics made with DEHP.

More information regarding the study can be found in the journal Pediatrics.