Researchers from New York University Langone found that plastic additives diethylhexyl phthalates (DEHP) led to 356 thousand deaths due to cardiovascular diseases in 2018.
DEHP — is a phthalic acid ester that dissolves in plastic to give it greater flexibility. The largest number of deaths related to phthalate exposure is recorded in the Middle East, East Asia, and the Pacific, which account for up to 75% of deaths due to exposure to these chemicals.
Phthalates are added to cosmetics, cleaning productsand plastic packaging, are used in the production of pipes and insect repellents. These hazardous chemicals are capable of breaking down into microscopic particles when they enter the body through the mouth or respiratory system. A number of studies have linked phthalate exposure to the development of obesity and diabetes, infertility and certain forms of cancer.
The study, conducted by american scientists, focused on DEHP, which is used in the production of plastic food containers, medical tubes for droppers and other flexible plastic products. Previous studies have shown, that DEHP can cause chronic inflammation of the arteries, which can eventually lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Based on the results of the analysis, american scientists have estimated that the impact of DEHP resulted in 356 thousand 238 deaths in 2018, which is more than 13% of the total mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in the world during this period among people aged 55 to 64 years.
The authors of the study also estimated that the economic losses caused by this level of mortality due to exposure to DEHP, amounted to about $510 billion. In total, losses due to deaths caused by phthalates can reach $3.74 trillion. A study from 2021 linked phthalates to more than 50,000 premature deaths each year, mostly from cardiovascular disease, among elderly US citizens.
In their study, the researchers from New York University used health and environmental information from dozens of surveys of local residents in 200 countries. This information included urine samples that contained chemical breakdown products of DEHP. The mortality data were obtained from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation — a research group in the United States that collects health information around the world to identify health trends.
The key results of the study showed, that in the Middle East, East Asia, and the Pacific, mortality from cardiovascular disease due to exposure to DEHP accounted for 32-42% of total cardiovascular disease-related mortality. The largest number of deaths was recorded in India — 103 thousand 587 deaths. This was followed by China and Indonesia.The authors of the study note that these countries are likely to face the highest levels of chemical exposure because produce large amounts of plastic.
«There is a clear disparity in which regions of the world bear the brunt of the increased heart risk from phthalates. Our findings highlight the urgent need for global regulations to reduce exposure to these toxins, especially in areas hardest hit by rapid industrialization and plastic consumption», — says senior author Dr Leonardo Trasand.
According to Trasand, the analysis did not examine how DEHP directly leads to cardiovascular disease. In addition, other types of phthalates were not taken into account, which may also contribute to an increased risk of mortality. Also, mortality due to DEHP exposure in other age groups was not studied. All of this suggests that the overall mortality rate from heart disease due to phthalates is likely to be much higher.
The researchers plan to monitor how reducing phthalate exposure can change global mortality rates over time. They also plan to expand research on other health problems caused by chemicals, such as premature birth.
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