Chemical in food wrappers makes women gain weight

It’s something that you find in virtually every kitchen and it is found on every ready meal and indeed on many food items found in vending machines, including those operated by UKVending: Cling Film and other plastic food wrappers. It is a miracle material that has made microwaving possible and keeps food fresh and tasty for longer, but new research has indicated something else about food wrapping: the chemicals within it could be making women lose the battle against weight gain.

The chemical in question is called perfluoroalkyl or PFASs for short. This is found in a wide variety of everyday items from non stick frying pans, waterproof coats and food wrapping. Research conducted by Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health found that the chemical could be linked to reduce metabolism. PFASs are thought to particularly affect the female sex hormone oestrogen which controls body weight.

PFASs have been in use for over six decades and previous research has linked the chemical to some cancers as well as raised cholesterol levels. Traces of PFASs have also been discovered in human breast milk and blood.

The American study tested 600 people and found that those with more PFASs in their blood were more likely to have problems with their weights and were prone to Yo-Yo dieting patterns.