The studies from United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Tufts University were presented Wednesday at the European Congress on Obesity in Geneva. Researchers found that when mice were exposed to these chemicals during early development, it lead them to become obese in later life.
Bisphenol A is commonly used in plastic good containers and bottles, plastic food containers or even boat paint. Other harmful chemicals include perfluorooctanoic acid that is used as a greaseproofing agent in products such as microwave popcorn bags.
Agency France Press quotes Jerry Heindel from the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as saying, "If these findings are proven to be true in humans, then the focus must change from losing weight as adults to prevention of weight gain during development, through reducing the exposure to such substances."
The study by Beverly Rubin from the U.S. Tufts University found that there was no different between the mice who became fat and those that did not if factors like food intake and activity levels were changed.
In one study, scientists exposed female mice to bisphenol A and found that they grew up into fat mice while the second research found that when pregnant mice which were exposed to the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid they gave birth to baby mice which were unusually small at birth but then became overweight as adults.
Researchers also found the effects were only visible when low doses are applied thus indicating that different doses may have different health problems in the body. It could also mean that high doses can cause more serious problems, and "potentially mask the abnormal weight gain," the study found.
A third study also found the effects of a harmful chemical tributylin on pregnant mice that caused them become fat as adults. Tributylin is a chemical used in plastic food wrap and as a fungicide.
