An environmental study highlights the importance of pregnant women being cautious about their food choices. As gloves worn by employees and food handling practices are identified as potential sources of exposure, fast food establishments like McDonald’s, and Burger King are also implicated.
A recent Environmental International study emphasizes the need of pregnant women being cautious about their food choices, especially phthalates, a plastics chemical. The study found that food handlers’ plastic gloves and wrappings are the risk, not the food.
Research shows that phthalates can enter the bloodstream, cross the placenta, and harm the fetus. These chemicals during pregnancy can cause low birth weight, preterm birth, and autism and ADHD in children.
“This chemical can cross the placenta and enter fetal circulation,” said Seattle Children’s Research Institute researcher and UW Medicine physician Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana.
For 1,031 pregnant women in Memphis, Tenn., ultra-processed foods increase phthalate exposure. Ultraprocessed foods with chemicals and preservatives make up a substantial part of many people’s diets and are hard to spot.
The study observed that cake mixes, french fries, hamburger buns, and soft drinks enhance phthalate exposure. As gloves worn by employees and food handling practices are identified as potential sources of exposure, fast food establishments, like McDonald’s, and Burger King are also implicated.
The study illuminates socioeconomic factors that expose pregnant women to phthalates. Low income and lack of fresh, healthful meals make expecting mothers more susceptible to toxic poisons.
Based on these data, the authors recommend legislation to control food packaging and handling to prevent phthalate contamination. Instead of ultra-processed foods, pregnant women should eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
Sathyanarayana advises reading food labels, picking items with fewer chemicals, and comprehending them to avoid phthalate exposure. “Look for the lower number of ingredients and make sure you can understand the ingredients,” stated. Even “healthy foods” like breakfast bars are misrepresented by this app. See if it’s sweetened with dates or contains many fats and sugars, she advised.
Conclusion
An Environmental International study advises pregnant women to avoid phthalates, a family of chemicals found in plastics, in their diets. The study discovered that phthalates can enter the circulation, cross the placenta, and harm the fetus, causing low birth weight, premature birth, and mental health issues in children. The Memphis, Tennessee research of 1,031 pregnant women found that ultra-processed foods increase phthalate exposure.
As gloves worn by employees and food handling practices are identified as potential sources of exposure, fast food establishments, like McDonald’s, and Burger King are also implicated. The authors of the study recommend legislation to control food packaging and handling to prevent phthalate contamination.
