New study raises alarms about plastics and heart disease. Here's what to know

The news made for an alarming headline: Research showed that common chemicals in plastics were associated with 350,000 heart disease deaths across the world in 2018.

- Nina Agrawal

The statistic came from a study published last week in the journal eBioMedicine. The authors, a group of researchers at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine, estimated that roughly 13 per cent of cardiovascular deaths among 55to 64-year-olds worldwide that year could be attributed to phthalates, which are used in food packaging, shampoo, toys and more.

Research on the effect of phthalates on cardiovascular disease is still emerging, but their link to metabolic risk factors like obesity suggest they could play a role.

While experts agree that phthalates are harmful, they cautioned that the study relied on complex statistical modelling and a series of assumptions and estimates that make it difficult to determine how many deaths might be linked to the chemicals.

"This is an early step of trying to understand the magnitude of the problem," said Dr Mark Huffman, a cardiologist and a co-director of the global health centre at WashU Medicine in St. Louis. But, he added, there's a need for far more studies to understand the relationship between phthalates and heart health, and what other factors might come into play.

The background

Phthalates are found in personal care products such as shampoos and lotions, as well as in food containers and packaging. It's possible to ingest them through food, absorb them through the skin from products containing them or breathe them in as dust.

Studies have shown that phthalates are endocrine disrupters, meaning that they can interfere with our hormones. They have been associated with negative effects on reproductive health, pregnancy and birth issues.