What kids eat may contribute to their obesity but a new study has now found out that food packaging may also be the culprit. Bisphenol-A or BPA found in food packaging can alter body metabolism and increase the risk for obesity.
BPA is a chemical commonly found on metal food containers and plastic bottles. This chemical changes the rate of metabolism of the body and may make it difficult for kids to shed off excess weight.
A study titled, "Urine Bispheno-A Level in Relation to Obesity and Overweight School-Age Children," found out that girls between 9 to 12 years old with higher concentration of BPA in their urine tend to double be overweight compared to subjects with low levels of BPA.
The concentration of BPA in the age group and gender is 2 micrograms a liter which makes them twice prone to being obese compared to other subjects. There were also girls that had a BPA level of more than 10 micrograms per liter, making them five times more prone to obesity.
The proponents involved 1,326 fourth to 12th graders, mixed gender, from several schools in Shanghai. Some factors taken into consideration were family history, physical activity, mental health and diet.
While researchers found out that BPA may be a factor to consider in obesity for some kids, they were surprised that the level of BPA did not affect the obesity risk of all boys involved in the study, as well as girls who were 12 years and older.
The higher BPA in the age group of girls found to be with higher risk for obesity was consistent with measured hip circumference, waist-height ration, waist circumference, skinfold thickness. These factors are considered measurements of obesity.
"Evidence is accumulating that obesogens such as BPA exposure may be contributing to the worldwide obesity epidemic. As a potential environmental obesogen, BPA exposure warrants particularly careful examination given the widespread human exposure, especially considering that the exposure level is higher in young children," the authors of the study discussed.
The proponents recommended that long-term studies should be conducted to determine the important relationship between BPA exposure and obesity.
