A Surge in Type II Diabetes – linked with exposures to PFA’s.

Researchers estimate that every one in nine adults around the world lives with diabetes, with more than 90% of those cases being Type II diabetes.

Past studies have identified several factors that may increase a person’s risk for developing Type II diabetes, such as obesity, genetics, smoking history, diet, and living a sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, previous research shows that certain environmental factors, like air pollution and exposure to certain chemicals, may also heighten a person’s risk for the disease. Moreover, PFAS has been linked to Type II diabetes before, but mostly in vulnerable populations like pregnant women or in children and adolescents. Very few works have investigated the detrimental effect of PFAS in a relatively healthy group of adults, and its potential effect even before any disease was clinically diagnosed. This study is one of the first to look into the effect of PFAS in a relatively healthy group of adults.

Environmental exposures are one of the few potential suspects that can be directly intervened upon. Therefore, studying ways in which environmental exposures can increase the risk of Type II diabetes may potentially open new avenues for risk assessment and opportunities for interventions.

Using blood samples, researchers measured the PFAS levels were higher in the blood. PFAS chemicals can be found in a variety of everyday products, including: Cleaning products; Firefighting foam; Food packaging; Non-stick cookware; Stain-resistant products; Waterproof clothing; cosmetic products, such as foundation makeup; fire-fighting foams; fast foods, meat, fish, and shellfish; some take-out coffee and tea in the United States; processed foods including microwave popcorn; low-fiber, high-fat grain products, such as bread and pasta; indoor dusts.

PFAS chemicals are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down in a landfill. This means PFAs can leach into the soil and water around it, potentially contaminating drinking water and crops grown in soil with high PFAS content.

For many years, polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals”, have managed to have entered the natural environment, contaminating soil and water sources. New research from Stockholm University found that the levels of PFAS in rainwater now exceed levels deemed safe by health and environment advisory agencies.

People should be aware of how PFAS may impact their overall health and take precautions to have their drinking water tested as necessary. Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — also known as “forever chemicals” — are a known hazard to global human health.

PFAS was originally developed in the 1940’s. Because of their unique properties, including their ability to repel water and oil and being resistant to temperature, manufacturers used PFAS in a variety of different products from non-stick cookware to cosmetics.

When a factory makes or uses PFAS, it can travel through wastewater and contaminate the natural water, soil, and air around it. And over time PFAS-containing items in landfills can leach chemicals into the surrounding environment as well. When that happens, the chemicals can pollute food grown in the soil or streams and lakes feeding drinking water reservoirs or where the fish we eat live. Additionally, PFAS are able to travel through the air and become part of the world’s atmosphere, as shown by research finding PFAS in Arctic ice and soil. When this happens, PFAS can travel through rainwater, potentially contaminating water sources around the world.

Higher blood PFAS levels linked to increased diabetes risk –

Researchers have found that every increase in PFAS exposure correlated with a 31% increase in Type II diabetes risk. PFAS, primarily due to their chemical structure, can interfere with how the body stores and regulates fat, and consequently, how the body controls glucose. Higher PFAS levels may disrupt fat and glucose regulation in the body, which in turn may increase the risk of Type II diabetes.

Reducing exposure to PFAS important –

The government should take steps to educate the general population more about the silent harms that PFAS exposure may cause, and eventually take strides to enact policies that target overall PFAS reduction, starting from food packaging to daily-use products.

Across the world, different countries and states have different regulations for regulating & controlling PFAS in the environment. In the United States, the EPA and the Food and Drug Administration Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Governmental authority (FDA) regulates PFAS and offer a variety of research and tools for states to use. The European Chemicals Agency oversees PFAS use in Europe.

On the contrary most of the Asian Countries, have not yet put restrictions on PFAS in place.

Team Maverick