Recent Findings
This week’s headlines spotlighted a concerning new study linking widely used plastic chemicals to approximately 350,000 cardiovascular deaths worldwide in 2018.
Published recently in the journal eBioMedicine, the study’s authors, a team of researchers from a prominent medical school, estimated that about 13 percent of heart disease fatalities among individuals aged 55 to 64 could be attributed to phthalates. These chemicals are commonly found in a variety of everyday products, including food packaging, personal care items such as shampoos, and children’s toys.
While research exploring the cardiovascular impact of phthalates is still developing, their association with metabolic risk factors like obesity suggests a possible role in heart disease.
Experts agree that phthalates pose health risks, but caution that the study’s findings are based on complex statistical models and multiple assumptions, making it challenging to precisely quantify the number of deaths linked to these chemicals.
A leading cardiologist emphasized that this research represents an initial effort to gauge the scope of the issue, noting the need for more extensive studies to clarify how phthalates affect heart health and to identify other contributing factors.
Understanding Phthalates
Phthalates are found in numerous products, from cosmetics like lotions and shampoos to food containers and packaging materials. Humans can be exposed to them through ingestion, skin absorption, or inhalation of dust containing these chemicals.
