Adding to the mixed bag of research on bisphenol A and diabetes,
a new study suggests that people with higher urinary levels of
the controversial chemical do have a higher risk of diabetes.
Bisphenol A — better known as BPA — is a so-called endocrine
disruptor, which means it may affect normal hormone activity in
the body. It’s also all around us. BPA has been used for decades
to make hard plastic containers, as well as linings for metal
food and drink cans. Research suggests that most people have
some amount of BPA in their blood, including about 95 percent of
Americans. Recent animal studies have hinted that the chemical
could play a role in certain cancers, heart disease and abnormal
brain development in children. But BPA’s true effects in humans
remain unknown. Two large studies have found a link between
higher BPA levels and higher heart disease risk. And a 2008
study found that of Americans in a government health survey,
those with higher BPA levels showed a higher diabetes risk. None
of that, however,