Man-made chemicals in contaminated drinking water contribute to obesity and make weight loss more difficult, a researcher at the University of Rhode Island found.
The study, conducted by Dr. Philippe Grandjean, found that increased per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, content in blood “may cause weight gain and thus contribute to the obesity pandemic.”
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PFAS are a group of chemicals created to coat products to resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Such chemicals are colorless, odorless, and tasteless and can be found in a variety of products, including adhesives, cookware, and food packagings such as pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags.
PFAS can also contaminate community drinking water.
“PFAS are sparingly soluble in water and can slowly move from contaminated soil and reach groundwater perhaps after several years,” Grandjean, who studies health effects linked to exposure to environmental chemicals, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Surface runoff from [for example] firefighter training areas may contaminate surface waters.”
“Once discovered, the PFAS can be removed by inserting activated carbon filters to clean the community water or a filter in the kitchen for private wells,” he continued.
Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” PFAS are resilient and “break down very slowly in the environment and in the human body. So the amount of PFAS in our body has been accumulated over time and will take many years to clear,” Grandjean said.
PFOA, a specific PFAS commonly found in drinking water, was found more than other chemicals to contribute to weight gain. The study, which was conducted in Europe, showed participants who had the most PFOA in their system gained about 10 pounds more than others after one year.
“Our study adds new evidence that being overweight isn’t just about a lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits — PFAS are increasingly suspected to be a contributing factor,” Grandjean said. “The PFAS exposures in the European participants are quite comparable to levels in America, so my concern is that our exposures to PFAS are making it difficult for us to avoid getting overweight.”
PFAS can be harmful to humans in other ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, studies have shown the chemicals can affect growth and development, as well as reproduction, thyroid function, and the immune system, and injure the liver. They can also increase preeclampsia in pregnant women and increase the risk of kidney and testicular cancer.
The CDC does not list obesity or weight gain as common risks for PFAS exposure.
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed new drinking water standards to limit PFAS contamination exposure.
The new standards would require water treatment facilities to monitor for six PFAS chemicals, including PFOA, as well as reduce the levels and notify the public of the contamination.
“This action has the potential to prevent tens of thousands of PFAS-related illnesses and marks a major step toward safeguarding all our communities from these dangerous contaminants,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said.
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According to the EPA, “PFAS can be found in surface water, groundwater, soil, and air—from remote rural areas to densely-populated urban centers.” Sources for contamination can range from industrial sites to airports and military bases.
Grandjean works on the University of Rhode Island’s Sources, Transport, Exposure, and Effects of PFAS research project in the College of Pharmacy. He is also a professor of environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark and served as a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for 20 years.
