The surprising way plastics affect your health

According to the World Economic Forum, by the year 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. But the environment is not the only thing plastics are impacting. Ivanhoe details what health impacts they can have too.

You exercise and eat plenty of healthy foods, but no matter what you do you can’t seem to shed the pounds. According to new research from Norway, the plastic you have all around your house–from food containers to kids’ toys–may be to blame.

Susan Castriota told Ivanhoe, “I was pretty shocked and dismayed, that I had been kind of sucked into that whole false sense of security with using plastics.”

In a study, researchers extracted chemicals from 34 everyday products, including freezer bags, drinks bottles, and coffee cup lids. They found more than 55,000 chemicals and identified 629 of the substances. Eleven of them are known to disrupt metabolism and promote the growth of fat cells. The most common fat-promoting chemicals, bisphenol A and phthalates, which can be found in everyday plastics and can also affect human development and fertility. So, what are some alternatives to plastic? Use glassware instead of plastic containers for leftovers, swap out plastic straws for stainless steel, bamboo, or even pasta and rice straws, and skip the plastic cutlery for takeout orders. You won’t only be helping to save the environment, but your health too.

In another study, it was found that some plastics can leach chemicals into food, producing an endocrine disrupting effect. They can mess with the hormones that regulate appetite, metabolism, and other bodily functions.