Beyond Breast Cancer: BPA May Form Fat Cells

christina headshot 2015Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been linked to breast cancer because of its endocrine-disrupting effects, and has started to be removed from water bottles, travel-sized coffee mugs and food storage containers, among other plastic products. Unfortunately, BPA is often replaced with chemicals, BPF and BPS, that have shown to be just as harmful. Though Protect Our Breasts’ main concern about these chemicals is with breast cancer, recent research regarding BPA and BPS and their effects on weight gain have caught our eye.

As a college-aged woman, I am sure I am not the only one my age who has felt pressure to be a certain weight or fit into a single-digit size pair of pants. Weight is often a sensitive topic of discussion, and the last thing anyone wants to hear is that hard work through diet and exercise may not be enough to prevent weight gain.

BPA is classified as an obesogen, or a chemical that can promote weight gain (1). A recent study in Canada concluded that exposure to BPS can lead to an increase in the formation of fat cells in humans, in a similar capacity to BPA (2). These findings are concerning, especially with the incidence of obesity on the rise. The Collaborative on Health and the Environment suggests that “the obesity epidemic cannot be explained by diet and exercise alone.”

Sometimes it’s hard to relate to a breast cancer diagnosis in the future, but weight gain is an issue we can all relate to today. The good news is that BPA and BPS can be avoided by choosing glass or stainless steel beverage containers, as well as products that are not packaged in cans that can be lined with these chemicals. Passing on cash register receipts or asking that they be e-mailed can minimize dermal exposure. Choosing to avoid these chemicals now can lead to the prevention of adverse health effects, such as breast cancer and obesity, in the future.

Sources:
1. http://www.healthandenvironment.org/initiatives/childrens_health/columns_facts
2. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-bpa-substitute-trigger-fat-cell.html

Check out Bianca’s blog on BPA replacements here.

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