Overweight and Obesity: Beware of plastic food!

Plastic food have become ubiquitous. But most of them contain bisphenol A but also some phthalates, both chemicals can disrupt our hormone systems. These molecules could play a role in the development of overweight and obesity? And if so how to protect themselves? 

How plastic food promote obesity? 
Overweight is progressing very rapidly around the world. In France, there are now more than 7 million obese people. One explanation is based on the great upheaval in our eating habits, including a breakdown of food and the industrialization of food.

Bisphenol A: infertility, diabetes as well as obesity? 
But along with the new composition of our meals, presentation has changed a lot with a number of increasingly important food presented wrapped in plastic: plastic film, pots, trays, bottles, cans, etc. Knowing that these plastics often contain bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor associated with fertility disorders and behavior, we can also ask whether food packaging play a role in the current epidemic of obesity.

The studies linking bisphenol A to chronic diseases have increased in recent years, particularly showing an increased risk of diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease via an endocrine disruption and probably the lipid system. But in addition to the in vitro and animal, those studies that have focused on populations are sometimes contradictory or borderline significance and do not allow us to conclude definitively or to end the controversy.

Hard evidence to materialize 
According to a team of researchers published in February 2013 an analysis of the existing literature on the subject (2), difficulties are mainly related to the metabolism of bisphenol A. There is also a confounding factor: the socioeconomic context. Indeed, disadvantaged groups tend to eat more foods with high energy density and processed, it is difficult to know if the packaging or the food itself that increases the risk of obesity, diabetes coronary artery disease. Furthermore, exposure to bisphenol A is multiple and continuous since it was detected in dust, air, water, and is particularly used in thermal paper.

Phthalates: up to five times greater risk of obesity 
It is likely that BPA is just one of many environmental contaminants that we are exposed and could be associated with chronic diseases: polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides or phthalates. Among these, DEHP, one of the most common forms, is used for number of flexible plastics. Apart from its presence in the personal care products (soap, shampoo), it could also end up in nipples or in plastic food containers. Its presence in the blood of children was directly corellée risk of obesity of these that could see their risk of obesity increased fivefold for the most contaminated!

How to protect yourself from bisphenol A and phthalates in food? 
Pending the application from 1 January 2014 to ban bisphenol A in plastics and food utensils, it is possible to limit exposure. By waiving the products label indicates the presence of bisphenol A and encouraging those marked "BPA-free" or excluding certain plastic food in your kitchen.

Exit the transparent film, boxes, trays, cans, cans, bowls, pots, etc. This is especially true for pregnant women and young children. To help you, choose glass, Pyrex, stainless steel or porcelain, and cook as much as possible yourself with products from non-industrial base bought in markets which were not wrapped in plastic.