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BPA might lead to asthma in kids—study
by Neha Gupta - March 1, 2010 - comments
Bisphenol A, an organic compound formed by the fusion of two phenol functional groups, is generally used to make plastic, which is a major component in the manufacturing of bottles, sports equipment, medical devices, eyeglass lenses, Cds, and various other household items.
A study's report presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s annual meet in New Orleans has revealed that the notorious chemical “Bisphenol A” might have a negative impact on the immune system of kids, leading them to asthma.
The study was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Terumi Midoro Horiuti, an associate professor of pediatrics, biochemistry and molecular biology in the Child Health Research Center at Children's Hospital, University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
The research group experimented with mice that were randomly given doses of BPA weighing between 1 to 10 micrograms/millilitre in their drinking water.
< strong >Observations of the study
The study has revealed that mice pups born to mothers who were administered higher doses suffered from asthmatic problems. Nevertheless, the ones born to mothers given low doses were safe.
One of the researchers Dr. Steve Georas reported, "They're using what are probably going to be reasonable estimates of human neonatal exposure, and that seems to have an effect on the developing immune system or sensitivity to asthma."
Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A is an organic compound formed by the fusion of two phenol functional groups. It is generally used to make plastic, which is a major component in the manufacturing of bottles, sports equipment, medical devices, eyeglass lenses, Cds, and various other household items.
Another product of BPA, resin, is used as a coating inside food and beverage cans.
Negative effects of BPA
Since 1930, BPA has been a controversial subject, suspected to bear negative impacts on the brain and behavioral development of kids.
Exposure of expecting mothers to BPA can result in birth defects and neonatal mortality.
A recent research has further affirmed that children with mothers who were exposed to high levels of BPA during pregnancy are more prone to asthmatic ailments by the age of three.
Measures by U.S. government
The number of asthmatic children in the nation has been found to be around 7.0 million in 2009, which is surely a matter of great concern.
Taking heed of the situation, the US government has proposed a $30 million research targeted at proving and eliminating the negative health effects of BPA.
The upcoming studies on BPA would primarily be based on accumulating cord blood cells in humans and then evaluating the immune system of the newly born babies by classifying them according to the mother’s degree of exposure to BPA.
Going a step further, many states like Maryland, Minnesota, and Connecticut have completely discarded the use of plastic lunchboxes and bottles for children as a precautionary measure.