Maternal Exposure to PVC Plastic Chemical Puts Future Generations at Risk of Obesity

Exposure to a chemical used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) plastics during pregnancy can escalate the risk of obesity in future generations, a new study says.

According to the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the chemical tributyltin (TBT) used in PVC plastic or marine hull paint plays an important role in childhood obesity.

PVC is the third most widely used plastic in the world. Vinyl contains dangerous chemical preservatives such as phthalates, lead, cadmium and organotins. It is used in manufacturing a wide range of products including pipes, medical devices, vinyl flooring, floor mats, sealant liners and consumer products like toys, school bags and raincoats.

The findings are based on the experiments scientists conducted on pregnant mice and their three consecutive generations.

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to TBT. They found maternal exposure to the chemical leading to permanent fat accumulation, affecting the physique of their children and the next two generations.

According to the background information provided in the study, exposure to the chemical can happen via PVC plastic particles in house dust, increasing the risk of small children being exposed to the chemical regularly.

The findings come at a time when nearly 12.5 million young children and teens are affected by obesity problems in the United States. According to CDC, obese children are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and cholesterol, prediabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems like stigmatization and poor self-esteem.

In August last year, a similar concern was raised after authorities detected unsafe levels of toxic chemicals in school products, such as lunchboxes, backpacks and binders. They found a majority of school products, made with PVC plastics, using chemical preservative phthalates to soften them. Phthalates are chemicals that have been linked to cause asthma, learning disabilities and diabetes in children.

Apart from PVC, polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) are some other plastics found to cause health concerns among children.