A new study indicated that plastics found in shampoo bottles and many everyday items can contribute to weight gain. Scientists discovered 11 chemical substances that can impact our metabolism and contribute to weight gain, present in daily products such as beverage containers, kitchen sponges, and hair conditioners.
Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology examined 34 different plastic products to identify the chemicals they contain, finding over 55,000 different chemical components within the products and identifying 629 substances, 11 of which are known metabolic disruptors.
Martin Wagner, an associate professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, stated, "Our experiments show that ordinary plastic products contain a mixture of substances that may be a significant factor behind weight gain and obesity."
For a long time, experts believed that most plastic chemicals would remain within these daily products, but Wagner's team demonstrated that they leach out under real-world conditions, allowing the chemicals to enter the body.
Previous research has also suggested that some plastics contain chemicals that disrupt endocrine functions, known as "obesogens," which may impact our development and fertility. However, it now seems they may also be responsible for weight gain, as chemicals from one-third of the plastic products examined in the new study were found to contribute to the development of fat cells in laboratory experiments.
While some plastic products contain known substances that disrupt metabolism, others do not contain known components; nevertheless, they still stimulate the growth of fat cells. Researchers said this suggests that plastic contains currently unrecognized chemicals that interfere with how the body stores fat, according to the Daily Mail.
