Video of the Week: Study Says Pthalates Reduce IQ
A chemical commonly found in food and household products—called phthalates—has been linked to lower IQ in kids exposed to high levels during pregnancy, according to a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
While previous research has linked higher exposure to phthalates—also known as “hormone disruptors” or “endocrine disruptors”—to poor mental and motor development in preschoolers, this new study is the first to reveal a disturbing link between prenatal exposure to the chemicals and childhood development.
Researchers studied exposure to five types of phthalates, including those found in shower curtains, raincoats, hairspray, food wraps, vinyl and pill coating, and seafood—possibly the largest source of exposure. Phtalates are added to plastics to help make them flexible. This chemical is also used in makeup, nail polish, and lacquer. Today, phthalates are banned from use in children’s toys and child-care products, but they are still present in numerous other products that do not list them as an ingredient.
The big finding with the new research? It linked prenatal exposure to phthalates to a more than six-point drop in IQ score as compared with those kids who had less exposure.
The study, “Persistent Associations between Maternal Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates on Child IQ at Age 7 Years,” was published this week in the journal PLOS One.
“The magnitude of these IQ differences is troubling,” one of the study’s authors, Robin Whyatt, said in a press release. “A six- or seven-point decline in IQ may have substantial consequences for academic achievement and occupational potential.”
Learn more about the study—and how to avoid phtalates—by watching this report.