EXPOSURE to a common class of chemicals called phthalates was linked to premature deaths, especially deaths caused by heart disease, a new study in Environmental Pollution found.

The man-made chemicals are found in hundreds of consumer products, including food-storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and toys.

For decades, scientists have known that phthalates can interfere with important hormone function. Even the smallest hormonal disruptions can cause significant effects, including developmental and reproductive issues, as well as problems with the brain and immune system, the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences said.

Phthalates exposure has been explicitly linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease in several studies.

“These chemicals have a rap sheet,” said Leonardo Trasande, the lead author and director of NYU Langone’s Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards. “And the fact of the matter is that when you look at the entire body of evidence, it provides a haunting pattern of concern.”

Trasande and colleagues at NYU Grossman School of Medicine analyzed data from more than 5,000 adults between the ages of 55 and 64. They found that those with the highest level of phthalates in their urine were more likely to die earlier than expected, especially of heart-related causes.

The study calculated that between 91,000 and 107,000 U.S. adults a year suffer premature deaths linked to these chemicals. The authors put a price tag on those early deaths: an estimated US$40-47 billion each year in lost economic productivity.

Phthalates are typically added to products to make them longer-lasting. Various plastic tubing and some toys might contain the chemicals so they’re harder to break, and toiletries and cosmetics commonly include phthalates to maintain fragrance.

The chemical class is so common that phthalates are nicknamed “everywhere chemicals.” The chemicals pose a threat if inhaled or ingested, so children are at an especially high risk of exposure as they tend to put their hands in their mouths. (SD-Agencies)