Fast Food: Dangerous Than You Thought

Together with fast food, potentially harmful chemicals, phthalates, can enter the body. The results of new research provide opponents of fast food with a new argument.

According to Dr. Kenneth Speight (KennethSpaeth), the head of the Northwell Health healthcare network, by abandoning fast food, you can reduce the impact on the body of phthalates - chemical compounds used in the manufacture of plastics.

"There are several reasons to refuse fast food, -said spate. - One of the reasons is the risk of obesity. The possibility of phthalates entering the body is certainly another argument in favor of refusing fast food. ”

In a study at George Washington UniversityMore than 8800 people took part, who provided information about their daily diet, including the frequency of trips to fast food establishments. Volunteers also handed over urine samples, in which researchers checked the presence of phthalates and their decomposition products.

According to the results of analyzes, in the urine of fast food lovers, in comparison with other participants in the study, the phthalate decomposition products were 24–40% more.

According to Speight, the presence of phthalates in the bodycan be associated with reproductive problems in adults and low IQ in children. Phthalates were previously thought to enter the body from a large number of small sources, but a new study claims that fast food can be a “very significant” provider of harmful compounds.

The study found that meatand cereals, including bread, cakes, pizza, burritos, rice and noodles, appear to contain the maximum amount of phthalates. In addition, the study suggested that cellophane gloves worn by fast food workers are an additional source of phthalates.

According to Data, it is impossible to completely avoid phthalates from entering the body, as these substances are found in a large number of products, including cosmetics and personal hygiene products.

It is important to note that the study only established a connection between the use of fast food and the presence of phthalates in the body, however, it does not prove that phthalates enter the body precisely with fast food.

“Subsequent studies will analyze the contribution of other phthalate sources, which will help us better understand the role of fast food in this process,” said Speight.