For the first time, a study links premature deaths and exposure to phthalates. According to the survey * by the Grossman School of Medicine at New York University, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, these chemical compounds present in plastics could cause the death of thousands of Americans each year from cardiovascular disease or cancer.
These phthalates, which are found in food and everyday objects (food, clothing, cosmetics, toys, etc.) are considered to be endocrine disruptors harmful to health.
“Regulatory authorities must act urgently”
By “extrapolating (the results) to the age group of the US population 55 to 64, we identified 90,761 to 107,283 deaths attributable” to phthalate exposure, the study explains. “Our findings show that greater exposure to phthalates is linked to premature death, especially heart disease,” said one of the authors, Leonardo Trasande, quoted in a statement.
“Until now, we have known that chemicals cause cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of death. But we had not yet directly linked these chemicals to mortality, ”added the scientist from New York University, who signed this work with two colleagues from the University of Iowa, Buyun Liu and Wei Bao. .
The researchers also calculated the economic cost of these premature deaths for the United States, in terms of lost productivity: “from 39.9 to 47.1 billion dollars per year”, according to them. “Other studies will have to corroborate these observations and identify the mechanisms (at work), but the regulatory authorities must act urgently”, pleads the study of the University of New York.
