health

New research from the organization Health Canada has concluded that most Canadians have measurable quantities of bisphenol A in their urine, as well as traces of lead. In a report from Metro News yesterday, it was revealed that the study found BPA in 95% of the subjects studied, with the highest concentrations found in children aged three to five and six to eleven. The article states:

According to an article in the Guardian this week, France's health agency has released yet another report on the health effects of bisphenol A, stating that a baby's exposure to BPA in the womb could be linked to a host of health problems, not least of all Breast Cancer, later in the course of its life. The study also warns readers about the dangers of packaging and bottles labeled "BPA Free" which often contain equally toxic substitutes.

There are certain, well known factors that have been identified as contributing to Breast Cancer: age, alcohol intake, and smoking habits being three of the more easily recognized ones. Studies have been uncovering further contributors to the disease in recent years, and the list has grown to encompass a range of chemicals which are in fairly regular use in the average consumer's day to day life. So, how safe are the products we use?

In a recent episode of NBC's popular television series, Dateline, producer Andrea Canning tried something unusual -- she decided to test herself and her children for the presence of chemicals BPA. phthalates, and triclosan in their urine, and in discovering levels much higher than the national average in herself and her children, attempted to make a lifestyle change to correct the imbalance. The episode focused on these particular chemicals, and Canning's attempt to eliminate them from her life through a change of daily routine.

In an article from Australia's Union-Bulletin today, contributor Frank Trapani shares a list of the health concerns associated with bisphenol A, and states that new research supporting the assertions that it is a hazard is becoming more and more plentiful. According to Trapani's article, bisphenol A, which is only now becoming more widely known amongst consumers, has been the subject of a wide and varied selection of research that has examined its harmful side effects on the human body.

An article on Grist last week shared the findings of a new study which have found bisphenol A contamination in a number of products -- a result which is unfortunately becoming commonplace except for one critical factor: the foods testing positive for BPA were organic, locally sourced, and strangely enough, not packaged in plastic.

A radio story by Australia's ABC News reported that a study has been undertaken by Duke Medical Centre which has discovered a link between bisphenol A and the suppression of a gene which is vital to the development of the central nervous system. According to the sound clip segment of the AM Show with Tony Eastly, reporter Sarah Dingle comments:

Now a new study by Duke University Medical Centre has found BPA may suppress a gene vital to the development of a central nervous system.

News came last Friday from PepsiCo that a controversial chemical that has been a common additive in their beverages is to be phased out, following complaints over the safety of the chemical. The additive, Brominated Vegetable Oil, has been linked to neurological disorders and thyroid problems. The New York Times' Stephanie Strom reports on the story, commenting that the voice of a fifteen year old girl named Sarah Kavanagh was the catalyst for change in this instance.

Despite the growing number of conflicting studies and concerns, the United States Food and Drug Administration insists to this day that the chemical bisphenol A is safe for human consumption. BPA is a chemical the average consumer ingests on a fairly regular basis, often unconsciously. According to an article in the Epoch Times, "toxicity" is a concept that many industry and science officials don't seem to agree on -- a term with a particularly flexible definition. Conan Milner writes: 

Canada has recently declared the chemical bisphenol A to be toxic, but the chemical continues to be used in the linings of cans according to an article on Vancouver's Straight.com. Contributor Gail Johnson writes that Environmental Defence has been standing as an opponent of bisphenol A's inclusion into food products, citing research that states that over 90% of urine samples collected from Canadians contained the chemical from a group of tested individuals. According to the article: