The chemical BPA, used in plastic cutlery, has been linked to heart disease and diabetes in adults.

The plastics chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), commonly found in refillable drinks containers and plastic cutlery, has been linked to diabetes and heart disease in adults, according to new research from the Peninsula Medical School.

As the world’s largest produced chemical, BPA is used in polycarbonate plastic products and has been linked to health concerns connected to babies’ bottles. However, this is the first time that it has been linked to adult diseases.

The study looked at available US Government information, and concluded that the 25% of people in the study with the highest BPA levels were twice as likely to have diabetes and/or heart disease as the 25% with the lowest levels.

David Melzer, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Peninsula Medical School, led the research team and was keen to point out that further research needs to be undertaken to verify the results. He said: “Our study has revealed, for the first time, an association between raised BPA loads and two common diseases in adults.

“At the moment we can’t be absolutely sure that BPA is the direct cause of the extra cases of heart disease and diabetes: if it is, some cases of these serious conditions could be prevented by reducing BPA exposure. This is therefore an exciting finding, but it is also just the first step in understanding the role of BPA.”

The study is published in the current edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.