Chronic disease is something that has gained more awareness over the last decade, and the number of people with at least one chronic illness has increased over 4% in the last 10 years. Numbers increased from 72% of Americans with at least one chronic illness to 76.4%, as of 2023. This is quite concerning as the origins of many chronic illnesses are unknown and treatments are still being studied and tested. So, scientists, such as researchers at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), are trying to find causes and catalysts of chronic illness, such as chemicals in plastics.
Are Plastic Chemicals Related to Chronic Illness?
Scientists at the University of Adelaide and SAHMRI investigated the independent association between men’s chronic diseases and concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals known as phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used in common consumer products that make plastics more durable and flexible. They are present in hundreds of products such as food packaging and wrappings, toys, medications, and even medical devices. Researchers found that of the 1500 Australian men tested, phthalates were detected in urine samples of 99.6% of those aged 35 and over.
“We found that the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure increased among those men with higher total phthalate levels,” says senior author Associate Professor Zumin Shi, from the University of Adelaide’s Adelaide Medical School and the Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health, and a member of SAHMRI’s Nutrition & Metabolism theme.
“While we still don’t understand the exact reasons why phthalates are independently linked to disease, we do know the chemicals impact on the human endocrine system, which controls hormone release that regulate the body’s growth, metabolism, and sexual development and function.”
“In addition to chronic diseases, higher phthalate levels were associated with increased levels of a range of inflammatory biomarkers in the body,” he says.
Packaged Food Can Increase Your Risk of Chronic Illness
Age and western diets are directly associated with higher concentrations of phthalates. Previous studies have shown that men who ate less fresh fruit and vegetables and more processed and packaged foods, and drank carbonated soft drinks, have higher levels of phthalates in their urine.
“Importantly, while 82% of the men we tested were overweight or obese — conditions known to be associated with chronic diseases — when we adjusted for this in our study, the significant association between high levels of phthalates and disease was not substantially altered,” Associate Professor Shi says.
“In addition, when we adjusted for socio-economic and lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol, the association between high levels of phthalates and disease was unchanged.”
Associate Professor Shi says that although the studies were conducted in men, the findings are also likely to be relevant to women.
“While further research is required, reducing environmental phthalates exposure where possible, along with the adoption of healthier lifestyles, may help to reduce the risk of chronic disease,” he says.
In conclusion, if you have a chronic disease or are at a higher risk of developing a chronic disease, reducing the amount of plastic you consume could be beneficial. Now, this can be extremely difficult as plastic is a part of the world’s daily life. It is next to impossible to not encounter it in some shape or form on a daily basis. However, if you are someone who consumes a large amount of pre-packaged food and/or highly processed food, eating fewer packaged foods would be one of the easiest ways to put less phthalates in your body. The fewer plastics you have in your system, the lower your risk of developing a chronic illness, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
References:
Chronic Disease Data and Surveillance | Chronic Disease | CDC
Story Source: University of Adelaide.
