Analysis of Health and Environmental Data from Over 200 Countries and Regions
DEHP Used in a Wide Range of Plastic Products
A new study has found that exposure to phthalates (DEHP), a key component used in various plastic products, is estimated to be associated with more than 356,000 deaths from heart disease worldwide each year, based on 2018 data.
According to a report by Yonhap News on April 30, a research team led by Professor Leonardo Trasande of NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Langone Health analyzed the relationship between DEHP exposure and cardiovascular disease using health and environmental data from over 200 countries and regions. The results were published in the medical journal Lancet eBioMedicine, confirming this association.
A coffee shop located in a government office building in Seoul, with plastic cups placed inside the store. This photo is provided to aid understanding of the article and is not directly related.
According to Yonhap News, DEHP is a substance used to make plastics soft and flexible. It is commonly found in a variety of plastic products, including food containers, medical equipment, cosmetics, detergents, and solvents.
Studies over the past several decades have revealed that DEHP exposure is linked to health problems. In particular, it has been shown that when phthalates break down into micro-particles and are ingested into the body, they can increase the risk of various diseases, including obesity, diabetes, infertility, and cancer.
DEHP has also been found to trigger excessive immune responses (inflammation) in the heart's arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In a 2021 study, the research team reported that phthalate exposure was associated with more than 50,000 premature deaths among older adults in the United States each year.
In this study, the research team used health and environmental data from over 200 countries and regions to estimate DEHP exposure levels in each area, and then analyzed the association with cardiovascular disease deaths using regional mortality data.
DEHP exposure was found to be associated with 356,238 deaths from heart disease worldwide in 2018. Among heart disease deaths caused by phthalate exposure, the Middle East and South Asia accounted for 42% of the total, while East Asia and the Pacific region accounted for 32%, respectively. Lancet eBioMedicine/Leonardo Trasande et al.
The results showed that DEHP exposure was associated with 356,238 deaths from heart disease worldwide in 2018. The research team explained that this means phthalate exposure contributed to more than 13% of all heart disease deaths among men and women aged 55 to 64 in 2018.
In addition, among heart disease deaths caused by phthalate exposure, the Middle East and South Asia accounted for 42% of the total, while East Asia and the Pacific region accounted for 32%. These regions together made up three-quarters of all such deaths globally.
By country, India had the highest number of heart disease deaths at 103,587, followed by China with 60,937, and Indonesia with 19,761. The research team pointed out that in these countries, plastic production is booming, but regulations are weaker than in other regions, which may result in a higher rate of exposure to chemicals such as DEHP.
Furthermore, the study estimated that heart disease deaths caused by phthalate exposure impose an economic burden of about $510 billion worldwide. The research team noted that the total damage could reach as much as $3.74 trillion.
Corresponding author Professor Trasande stated, "There are clear differences in the burden of heart disease risk from phthalates between regions," and added, "This study shows the urgent need for measures to reduce chemical exposure in areas undergoing rapid industrialization and increasing plastic consumption."
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