Widely used chemical linked to 100,000 US deaths per year, study shows
- Phthalates, which can be found in everything from toys and clothing to shampoo, are linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, according to NYU researchers
- The chemicals have long been known to be ‘hormone disrupters’, affecting a person’s endocrine system
Daily exposure to phthalates, a group of chemicals used in everything from plastic containers to make-up, may lead to around 100,000 deaths in older Americans annually, a study from New York University warned Tuesday.
The chemicals, which can be found in hundreds of products such as toys, clothing and shampoo, have been known for decades to be “hormone disrupters”, affecting a person’s endocrine system.
The toxins can enter the body through such items and are linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, said the study published in the journal Environmental Pollution.
The research, which was carried out by New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and includes some 5,000 adults aged 55 to 64, shows that those with higher concentrations of phthalates in their urine were more likely to die of heart disease.
03:05
Indonesian women turn waste plastic into construction bricks
However, higher concentrations did not appear to increase the risk of death by cancer.