Plastic may not be so fantastic for your weight 1260x542
23 Jun 2010

Plastic may not be so fantastic for your weight

2 mins to read
Plastic helps to keep your food and drinks fresh and portable, but what impact does it have on your body fat levels? Online personal trainer Andrew Cate investigates.


How do plastics affect your weight?

Take a moment to think about how much exposure your food and drinks get to plastic. There is plastic in food packaging, plastic storage bags and containers, plastic takeaway containers, cling wrap and plastic bottles. While there’s no doubt about the convenience of plastic, debate continues to rage about if and how much plastic compounds leach into the foods and drinks we eat.

Exposure measurements from several countries indicate that humans are routinely exposed to low levels of the plastic compound bisphenol A (BPA). BPA (recycling number “7” on bottles) is in an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic, which is a durable, lightweight and heat-resistant plastic commonly used in plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the inside lining of food and drink containers such as cans.

BPA is considered an endocrine disruptor and may imitate the body's naturally occurring oestrogen, interfering with the body’s natural hormone functioning.

The research

A study reported in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that participants who drank cold drinks for a week from polycarbonate bottles increased their urine concentration of bisphenol A (BPA) by 69 per cent. The researchers noted that it seems drinking containers made with BPA do release the chemical into liquids they touch. They also cited additional research which showed that:

  • High temperatures increase BPA migration into food and drink. Exposure to boiling water increased the rate of BPA migration by up to 55 times.
  • Acidic and alkali beverages increase BPA migration into food and drink.
  • Higher concentrations of BPA leach from used polycarbonate plastic compared to new ones.

What can you do?

Most of the research detailing the harmful effects of BPA has been conducted on animals, so the jury is still out on how much impact it can have on hormone function in humans. However, research has shown that plastic compounds such as BPA do leach into the drinks they come in touch with. While it would be difficult to avoid all plastic products, you can reduce your exposure by adopting the following strategies:

  • Avoid bottles and plastic containers that are made from polycarbonate and that display the triangular recycle logo with the number “7” inside.
  • Use a stainless steel water bottle if want to re-use the same container repeatedly. BPA-free water bottles are also becoming increasingly available.
  • Check the number on plastic containers you plan to heat food in. Ideally, heat food in hardened glass and ceramic containers.
  • Avoid canned food, especially if there is a fresh alternative.

Did you know?

To reduce your exposure to plastic compounds, use stainless steel water bottles, and heat your food in hardened glass and ceramic containers.

References available on request



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