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" New research reveals that there may be a link between the chemical BPA in food packaging and obesity in girls. The study suggests that the chemical interferes with the body&amp;#039;s metabolism, resulting in weight gain and weight loss difficulties More From Delish: Get the Facts: 10 Weight-Loss Myths Debunked According to Medical News Today, the authors of the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, said that girls between ages 9 and 12 whose BPA urine levels are above average have twice the risk of obesity as their peers. BPA, also known as Bisphenol-A, is a chemical found in everything from plastics to dollar bills. It is especially prevalent in food packaging, water bottles, and as a coating inside cans. More From Delish: Study Shows Junk Food in Middle Schools is Not a Factor in Obesity But according to the FDA&amp;#039;s research, BPA is not harmful to health if the levels in the package are low. It is known, however, that BPA can mimic estrogen, and according to the study it is a &amp;quot;known endocrine disruptor.&amp;quot; Lead researcher, De-Kun Li, MD, PhD explained, &amp;quot;Girls in the midst of puberty may be more sensitive to the impacts of BPA on their energy balance and fat metabolism.&amp;quot; The study was performed in Shanghai and compared more than 1,300 boys and girls from grades 4 to 12. They divided the children into nine groups and collected urine samples to determine their BPA levels. The researchers determined that girls aged 9 to 12 were five times as likely to be overweight or obese due to the elevated levels of BPA in their urine. But the BPA effects on girls (and boys) over 12 years were not significant. Are you concerned about BPA in food packaging? Find more great food content on Delish: Search for the perfect recipe from our homepageFind out the latest food newsGet a recipe book to save your favorite dishesSign up for our free newsletters Check us out on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/food/news/a39555/new-study-finds-bpa-causes-obesity-in-girls/>