Autism caused by packaging chemicals?

Nine out of 10 Americans have a chemical called bisphenol A in their urine, said Nicholas D. Kristof. BPA, which can be found in plastic food containers, soup can linings, ATM receipts, and many other consumer products, is a proven “endocrine disruptor”—a substance that mimics or alters human hormones. Studies have already linked BPA to breast cancer, diabetes, and hyperactivity, and now a new study in the journal Endocrinology suggests a link to autism and attention deficit disorder.

The researchers found that BPA seemed to interfere with hormones like oxytocin and vasopressin, which affect trust and bonding; mice exposed to dosages analogous to typical human exposure began acting like autistic kids. Their anti-social behavior, moreover, was passed down to the next three generations of mice.

Like Big Tobacco a generation ago, Big Chem has denied there’s any health hazard in the hundreds of chemicals it’s introduced into our bodies. But “serious scientists” are finding evidence that BPA “may be even more harmful than previously thought.” Isn’t it time we started to pay attention?

A new study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is one of the first to look at fast-food consumption and exposure to harmful packaging material chemicals.

People who eat a lot of fast food are exposed to up to 40 percent higher levels of potentially harmful chemicals, according to new research.

Studies have shown that those who eat fast food are at greater risk from exposure to the chemicals in packaging materials which are known to disrupt hormones and have been suspected to cause various illnesses and conditions such as asthma and autism. It is no wonder that local governments have been making efforts to ban such packaging materials in the food industry. Their most successful efforts in the food industry have been with the banning of Styrofoam in several major cities. Something that can be forseen as a national movement in the near future.