Get inspired with a weekly roundup on living well, made easy. Subscribe to CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your safety.
CNN
–
Chemical poisons They are everywhere. – In water, food, air and soil. Exposure to those toxins During pregnancy It can cause serious health problems in primary school children will affect their lives for years to come; A new study found.
Children born to European mothers were exposed to toxic chemicals for four families Endocrine (hormone) system 6 to 11-year-olds had higher rates of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome It can include obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormally high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which are predisposing factors for type 2 diabetes.
62% of children in the high-exposure group were overweight or obese, compared with 16% of children in the low-exposure group, said first author Nuria Guille-Umreit, a Fulbright Scholar at the Icahn School of Medicine. Mount Sinai in New York City.
“In addition, blood insulin and triglycerides, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, were significantly higher in the low-risk group than in the low-risk group,” Guille-Umret said in an email. “In contrast, HDL-cholesterol levels were lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group.” HDL cholesterol is considered a “good” blood lipid because it helps clear the arteries.
Metabolic syndrome It is often associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke in adults, but the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has also seen symptoms in younger and younger children. Having metabolic syndrome in childhood is a strong predictor of chronic disease in adulthood, experts say.
Vicente Musteles, Mariana Fernández and Carmen Messerlian from “Vcente Musteles, Mariana” Fernandez and Carmen Messerlian from a study published Thursday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Mustiles and Fernandez are investigators at the University of Granada Biomedical Research Center in Spain. Messerlian is an assistant professor of environmental reproductive, obstetric, and pediatric epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
CNN contacted the International Council of Chemical Societies for comment, but did not hear back before publication. A spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council made the following statement.
“We will review the details of this study as they are released. ACC members are responsible for manufacturing chemistries that provide important safety, product performance and durability benefits and are used safely. Our members conduct extensive scientific analyzes to assess the potential risks of their chemicals, from development through use and safe disposal.
The new research team took blood and urine tests from 1,134 mothers during pregnancy and then repeated the tests on their children aged 6 to 11 years. Found in the area.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are environmental pollutants “with the ability to cross the blood-placental barrier and interfere with human metabolism and hormonal balance.”
These and other chemicals “end up in the blood, tissue, and organs of fetuses and infants through maternal surrogacy and breastfeeding in a never-ending cycle,” write Musteles, Fernandez, and Messerlian.
The study was tested for pesticides; heavy metals; Flame retardants; Plasticizers such as phthalates and phenols; and PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Surface and underground water At a higher level than most international regulators allow around the world.
Because it is called “forever chemicals”. Failing to completely break down in the environment, PFAS have been used since the 1950s to make consumer products nonstick, oil and water resistant, and resistant to temperature changes. Some of the most studied PFAS, such as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), have been linked to serious health problems such as cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, liver damage, and hormone disruption. According to the EPA.
Toxic heavy metals in soil and water include lead and arsenic — studies have found alarming levels in processed baby food. There is no reliable lead level, while Arsenic, mercury and other heavy metals At relatively low doses, it can harm the body and mind, experts say.
A December 2014. A meta-analysis of studies on arsenic A 50% increase in arsenic levels in urine is associated with a 0.4-point decrease in IQ in children aged 5 to 15 years.
Flame retardants from A 300% higher risk of cancer. These chemical toxins are a major contributor to mental retardation in children worldwide, resulting in a total loss of 162 million IQ points and more than 738,000 cases of mental retardation. August 2020 study.
FaltsThey are found in hundreds of consumer products, such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children’s toys, and have been linked to premature death in people aged 55 to 64. In America. Previous research has been linked to phthalates Reproductive problemsas a Sexual dysfunction and undescended testicles in infant boys and Low sperm count and testosterone levels in adult men. Phthalates have also been linked in studies Childhood obesity, Asthma, Cardiovascular issues And Cancer.
In the study, phthalates are the only group of chemicals associated with low-grade metabolic syndrome. All other chemical families increase the risk.
kjekol / iStockphoto / Getty Images
Pregnancy and childhood are particularly important times to limit exposure to chemicals, as the brain and body are at a key stage of development.
Chemicals can vary in their effects on the body. For example, some PFAS compounds accumulate in the liver, contributing to fatty liver disease and high cholesterol. And flame retardants and other chemicals can be stored in body fat, which contributes to obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes, according to the editorial.
Because people are exposed to a wide variety of potentially toxic substances on a daily basis, designing a study that captures the cumulative effects on different parts of the body will provide a more accurate picture of any health effects.
“The current study is one of the first to achieve this goal by focusing on metabolic syndrome, a combination of blood sugar levels, lipids such as cholesterol, the presence of fat cells and the heart,” said the editor.
“We always think about health risks from chemicals one at a time,” said Jane Houlihan, National Director of Science and Health for Healthy Babies Bright Futures. Advocates committed to reducing children’s exposure to neurotoxic chemicals.
“Here, the research team shows that children’s risk of heart disease and diabetes later in life may be driven by complex combinations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the body, and the unique risk of chemical exposure during pregnancy,” she said. .
Healthy babies have bright futures He published a report in 2019 The discovery of toxic metals in 95 percent of baby foods randomly removed them from supermarket shelves, leading to its introduction. Child Food Safety Act of 2024a bill that would allow the US Food and Drug Administration to set strict standards and allow the FDA to monitor those standards through access to the records of food suppliers and manufacturers.
“Given the high rate of metabolic syndrome in the United States, health officials and companies must do everything possible to strengthen safety standards and remove these chemicals from our commercial and everyday products,” Hallihan said.
There are ways to reduce your exposure to plastics and other toxins, which is especially important this season. Pregnancy and childhood Developing fetuses and small organs can be easily damaged, Hallihan said.
Reduce the amount of rice for infants and children and make sure you wash your grains thoroughly before use, as this removes up to 60% of the arsenic, he said. Limit juicing and make sure to wash and peel vegetables and fruits carefully and buy organic if possible.
Avoid stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, and don’t use water-repellent sprays.
Check your neighborhood for PFAS and other chemicals in drinking water. The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy and philanthropic organization, has created a national tap water database. Searchable by zip code PFAS and other chemicals as well as a National map It shows where PFAS has been found in the US.
If your drinking water is a concern, consider purchasing a highly effective reverse osmosis filter, EWG says. NSF, formerly the National Sanitation Foundation List of recommended filters.
Tap water is often a better choice than bottled water.
One simple change at home is to use glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic when heating food. If possible, try to cook with ceramic, cast iron or stainless steel pans and avoid cookware that has been treated with chemicals to prevent food from sticking. Another good choice is to use stainless steel or glass bottles instead of plastic.
“Choose cosmetics that are free of endocrine disruptors such as parabens, benzophenone, trilosan and phthalates,” suggests Guille-Umright.
Consider the same for plastic-wrapped foods, sunscreens, household cleaners, and other everyday products. EWG has a large consumer database that provides links to consumer products, including a few chemicals Food products, Personal care products, Sun protection Tips and healthy living app.