BPA stands for bisphenol A. BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s.
Sources of BPA
BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are often used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles, and baby bottles and cups. They may also be used in toys and other consumer goods. Epoxy resins can be used to coat the inside of metal products, such as food cans, baby formula cans, bottle tops and water supply lines. Some dental sealants and composites also may contain BPA. And certain thermal paper products, such as cash register receipts, may contain BPA
Health Concern
Some research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with BPA or into your body when you handle products made with BPA. BPA remains controversial, and research studies are continuing. The American Chemistry Council, an association that represents plastics manufacturers, contends that BPA poses no risk to human health.
But the National Toxicology Program at the Department of Health and Human Services says it has "some concern" about the possible health effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. This level of concern is midway on its five-level scale, which ranges from serious to negligible. The Food and Drug Administration now shares this level of concern and is taking steps to reduce human exposure to BPA in the food supply by finding alternatives to BPA in food containers.
Steps to minimize your exposure of BPA
Wash safely
The National Toxicology Program advises against washing polycarbonate plastics in the dishwasher using harsh detergents, although the American Chemistry Council says this is safe.
Use alternatives
Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers for hot foods and liquids instead of plastic containers.
Cut back on cans.
Reduce your use of canned foods since many cans are lined with BPA-containing resin.
Buy BPA-free products.
This may not always be easy to do, of course. Some manufacturers label their products as BPA-free. If a product isn't labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or cans don't. Polycarbonate plastic is generally hard, clear, lightweight plastic. It often has the No. 7 recycling symbol on the bottom.
Microwave use cautiously
The National Toxicology Program advises against microwaving polycarbonate plastics, although the American Chemistry Council says this is safe. The plastics can break down over time, possibly causing BPA to leach into food.
Higher concentrations of urinary bisphenol A (BPA), a common product used in food packaging, have been linked to obesity in adolescents and children, according to a recent study published in the September 19 issue of JAMA. The researchers, from NYU School of Medicine, said that the synthetic chemical, which has been banned by the FDA from being used in children's bottles and sippy cups, is still being used as a coating inside of aluminum cans and food packaging. Plastic bottles that have the label containing the number 7 recycle logo also contain BPA. Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, an associate professor of pediatrics and environmental medicine, commented, “This is the first association of an environmental chemical in childhood obesity in a large, nationally representative sample. Our findings further demonstrate the need for a broader paradigm in the way we think about the obesity epidemic. Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity certainly contribute to increased fat mass, but the story clearly doesn't end there.
Trials have revealed that BPA interferes with the workings of metabolisms in humans, therefore possibly increasing body mass. However, the manufacturers are claiming it works as an antiseptic. Exposure to BPA has been linked in the past to breast cancer, prostate cancer, infertility, neurological conditions, prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. A 2011 study, published in Pediatrics, claimed that BPA exposure in the womb can result in behavioral problems in young girls. The experts continued,"In the U.S. population, exposure is nearly ubiquitous, with 92.6 percent of persons 6 years or older identified in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) as having detectable BPA levels in their urine. A comprehensive, cross-sectional study of dust, indoor and outdoor air, and solid and liquid food in preschool-aged children suggested that dietary sources constitute 99 percent of BPA exposure.
The recent study involved 3,000 six to nineteen year old children and adolescents who were chosen randomly for a calculation of urinary BPA concentration by Dr. Trasande and his colleagues Teresa Attina, MD, PhD, MPH, and Jan Blustein, MD, PhD. The team analyzed whether urinary BPA concentrations and body mass were associated with one another.
The experts adjusted for factors, including:
gender
age
ethnicity
caloric intake
how often the children watched t.v.
ratio of income to poverty
education of caregivers
serum cotinine levels
urinary creatinine levels
The results determined that the individuals with high urinary BPA levels were at a 2.6 times higher risk of being obese than the children and adolescents who had the lowest urinary BPA measurements. 22.3% of those with the highest levels were obese, while only 10.3% of the ones with the lowest measurements of urinary BPA were. Later analysation of these results revealed that this link was more prevalent in white adolescents and children, and obesity was not linked to contact with different environmental phenols found in different products, such as soap and sunscreen.
Most people agree the majority of BPA exposure in the United States comes from aluminum cans. This data adds to already existing concerns about BPA and further supports the call to limit exposure of BPA in this country, especially with children. Removing it from aluminum cans is probably one of the best ways we can limit exposure. There are alternatives that manufacturers can use to line aluminum cans," explained Trasande. The scientists wrote that policy makers have had concerns about BPA exposure for a long time, and that it needs to be dealt with, saying: "We note the recent FDA ban of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, yet out findings raise questions about exposure to BPA in consumer products used by older children." Last year, the FDA declined to ban BPA in aluminum cans and other food packaging, announcing 'reasonable steps to reduce human exposure to BPA in the human food supply' and noting that it will continue to consider evidence on the safety of the chemical. Carefully conducted longitudinal studies that assess the associations identified here will yield evidence.
(Source- JAMA)
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