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Title: Chemical In Plastics Linked To 350,000 Heart Disease Deaths

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/04/29/2...

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Hill: Daily exposure to certain
chemicals used to manufacture household plastics may be connected to more
than 356,000 cardiovascular-related deaths in 2018 alone, a new analysis has
found. These chemicals, called phthalates, are present in products around the
world but have particular popularity in the Middle East, South Asia, East
Asia and the Pacific -- regions that collectively bore about 75 percent of
the global death total, according to the research, published on Tuesday in
the Lancet eBioMedicine. Phthalates, often used in personal care products,
children's toys and food packaging and processing materials, are known to
disrupt hormone function and have been linked to birth defects, infertility,
learning disabilities and neurological disorders. The NYU Langone Health team
focused in the analysis on a kind of phthalate called di-2-ethylhexyl
phthalate (DEHP), which is used to make items like food containers and
medical equipment softer and more flexible. Scientists have already shown
that exposure to DEHP can trigger an overactive immune response in the
heart's arteries, which over time can be linked to increased risk of heart
attack or stroke. In the new analysis, the researchers estimated that DEHP
exposure played a role in 356,238 global deaths in 2018, or nearly 13.5
percent of heart disease mortality among men and women ages 55 through 64.
[...] These findings are in line with the team's previous research, which in
2021 determined that phthalates were connected to more than 50,000 premature
deaths each year among older Americans -- most of whom succumbed to heart
conditions. But this latest analysis is likely the first global estimate of
cardiovascular mortality resulting from exposure to these environmental
contaminants [...]. In a separate report from the New York Times, author Nina
Agrawal highlights some of the caveats with the data. First of all, the study
relies heavily on statistical modeling and assumptions, drawing from prior
research that may include biases and confounding factors like diet or
socioeconomic status. It also uses U.S.-based risk estimates that may not
generalize globally and focuses only on one type of phthalate (DEHP).
Additionally, as Agrawal points out, this is an observational study, showing
correlation rather than causation. As such, more direct, long-term research
is needed to clarify the true health impact of phthalate exposure.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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