One more reason to avoid fast food.
Together with fast food in the body people can get potentially harmful chemicals — phthalates. The results of new studies provide opponents fast food new argument.
At the request of Dr. Kenneth inspector Speight (Kenneth Spaeth), the head health network Health Northwell, abandoning fast food, you can reduce the impact on the body of phthalates — chemical compounds used in the plastics industry.
“There are several reasons to abandon fast food,” said Speight. One of the reasons — the risk of obesity. The possibility of ingestion of phthalates, of course, is another argument in favor of abandoning fast food”.
In the study of George Washington University, attended by more than 8800 people, who provided information about their diets, including about the frequency of trips to fast food places. Volunteers also gave urine samples, which researchers have verified the presence of phthalates and their degradation products.
According to the results of the analyses in urine lovers of fast food, compared to other participants in the study, of breakdown products of phthalates were at 24-40%.
According to the statement of inspector Speight, the presence of phthalates in the body can be linked to reproductive problems in adults and low IQ in children. Previously it was assumed that the phthalates enter the body from a large number of small sources, but a new study claims that fast food could be “very significant” supplier of harmful compounds.
In the study, it was found that meat and cereal products, including bread, cakes, pizza, burritos, rice dishes and noodles, apparently, contain the maximum amount of phthalates. In addition, the study suggested that an additional source of phthalates are plastic gloves that are worn by workers in fast food.
According to inspector Speight to completely avoid phthalates in the body is impossible, since these substances are contained in a large number of products, including cosmetics and personal care products.
It is important to note that the study only established a link between fast food consumption and the presence of phthalates in the body, but it does not prove that phthalates are ingested with fast food.
“Subsequent studies will analyse the contribution of other sources of phthalates that will allow to better understand the role of fast food in this process,” said Speight.
