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Preventing Toxic Exposures to Children: Why Looking at Location and Lifestage is Important

Preventing Toxic Exposures to Children: Why Looking at Location and Lifestage is Important. Goals. Identify causes of early puberty in girls List health concerns thought to be related to health issues later in life

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Preventing Toxic Exposures to Children: Why Looking at Location and Lifestage is Important

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  1. Preventing Toxic Exposures to Children:Why Looking at Location and Lifestage is Important

  2. Goals • Identify causes of early puberty in girls • List health concerns thought to be related to health issues later in life • List potential environmental sources of agents that may contribute to development of early puberty • Provide alternatives and means to reduce environmental exposures

  3. Early Puberty: Cause for Concern • It’s all about the estrogen • Increased risk for breast cancer • Increased lifetime exposure to estrogens • Lengthened vulnerable period between first period and first pregnancy • Polycystic ovarian syndrome • Increased risk of behavioral problems • Eating disorders • Drug and alcohol abuse • Depression • Teen sexual activity

  4. Causes of Early Puberty • Psychosocial Stressors • Stress response  Increased cortisol • Low Birth Weight • Rapid initial weight gain  increased insulin  may prime the natural hormone system to respond earlier • Formula Feeding • Higher calorie content than breast milk  increased weight gain and more fat  higher natural estrogen exposure • Soy formulas contain phytoestrogens • Breast milk may contain other hormones and factors that help regulated early brain development • Physical Inactivity • Leads to development of obesity

  5. Causes of Early Puberty • Obesity and Weight Gain • Diets high in animal protein, dairy products, lower in nutrients • Excess body fat  higher estrogen levels • Excess body fat  reduced sensitivity to insulin and therefore higher levels  activate hormones that induce puberty earlier • Excess body fat  store more estrogen and other chemicals that act like estrogen • Environmental Exposures • Phytoestrogens • Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals • Pesticides • Solvents used in plastics and food can linings • Flame retardants and industrial chemicals

  6. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals • Phytoestrogens • Soy containing products • Hormones in Meat and Milk • Exposure to tobacco smoke during early childhood • Lead exposure • May lead to delayed puberty

  7. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals • Bisphenol A (BPA) • Used to produce rigid plastics • Cups, storage containers, water bottles • Lining of food cans • Can leach into food and beverages • More released during heating and washing • Phthalates • Makes PVC plastics more flexible • Toys, food packaging, detergents, shampoo, hair spray • Hoses, shower curtains, vinyl flooring • EPA may order these be phases out

  8. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals • Pesticides • Flame retardants • Chemical formed by burning of waste • Chemicals use in manufacturing

  9. Minimizing Exposures • Breast is Best! • Children’s diet should focus on whole plant foods rather than animal foods • Wide variety of plant foods – green vegetables, corn, squashes, onions, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains • Sensible amounts of dairy (not to be replaced with soy milk) • Minimize processed foods – calorie dense and nutrient poor • Buy organic when possible – reduced exposure to pesticides • Exercise – exercise with the kids

  10. Minimizing Exposures • Avoid BPA containing plastics (recycling label #7) • BPA free containers (a good start) • Do not use plastic water bottles if old or scratched • Do not microwave foods in plastic containers • Minimize use of canned foods • Avoid canned infant formula • Minimize use of soy infant formula • Avoid phthalate containing plastics (recycling label #3) • Check ingredient lists • Cosmetics with dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP) • The ‘fragrance” may be phthalate

  11. Conclusion • Early puberty is a serious issue, particularly for girls, and can lead to serious health consequences • Whole food diet • Exercise and activity • Avoid environmental exposures • References • Steingraber, S. The Falling Age of Puberty in U.S. Girls. Published by the Breast Cancer Fund, August 2007 • Aksglaede, L, et al., The sensitivity of the child to sex steroids: possible impact of exogenous estrogens. Human Reproduction, 2006 • Furhman, J, Girls’ Early Puberty: What causes it and how to avoid it. Huffingtonpost.com, 2011. • Diamanti-Kandarakis E et al. 2009 Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement. Endocrine Reviews 30(4):293-342 • Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem that Can Be Solved. Environ Health Perspect 119:989–996 (2001)

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