WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - Yet another concern about a common chemical compound.
A new study conducted in Shanghai by Kaiser Permanente exposes another detrimental affect of BPA. De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., leader of this study, confirmed information in humans from a previous study linking BPA and obesity in amimals. The team discovered that girls with higher-than-average levels of BPA in urine had double the risk of becoming obese during puberty age.
BPA stands for Bisphenol A which is a compound commonly used in plastics. It is found in consumer goods such as water bottles and many food and beverage cans. In most cases, BPA enters the body though ingestion. This is caused by BPA compounds leaching from the object into the food or beverage.
During puberty, girls were found to have a greater sensitivity to BPA. The compound is known to interfere with the endocrine system and hormones such as estrogen. It also impacts the amount of energy girls have, ability to metabolize fat, and body's ability to process and distribute fat.
De-Kun Li's study observed 1,326 males and females between the ages of 4 and 12. The team tested samples of urine from the children and gathered information about other risk factors leading to obesity.
Results showed that girls between the age of 9 and 12 had twice the risk of obesity due to high levels of BPA than other age groups. 36% of girls with higher-than-average levels of BPA were overweight or obese. Whereas only 21% of girls with lower-than-average levels of BPA were considered overweight or obese.
This study the latest in the PLOS ONE series published by Dr. Li and his colleagues examining the effects of BPA in humans.