Assessing the contribution of plastic-associated obesogenic compounds to cardiometabolic diseases

Purpose of review: To present recent evidence that strengthens the concept that exogenous pollutants contribute to adipose dysfunction and increased rates of disease and to highlight the ineffective regulation of this risk as industry switches to related but similarly toxic variants. Recent findings: Substitutes for common phthalates and the highly regulated bisphenol A (BPA) show similar deleterious effects on adipocytes. The well tolerated limit for BPA exposure has been reduced in Europe to below the level detected in recent population studies. Additionally, the role for BPA-induced inflammation mediated by interleukin 17a has been described in animal and human studies. Summary: Despite experimental and associative evidence that supports plastics and plastic associated chemicals deleteriously influencing adipose homeostatasis and contributing to metabolic diseases, structurally related alternate chemicals are being substituted by manufacturers to circumvent trailing regulatory actions.