Children with higher levels of urinary bisphenol A (BPA) — a chemical found in many food and beverage containers — are more likely to be obese, according to a JAMA study.

Researchers studied some 2800 children and adolescents aged 6 through 19 years who participated in an NHANES survey between 2003 and 2008. All participants provided urine samples for BPA measurement, had their BMIs measured, and answered lifestyle questionnaires.

After adjustment for confounders including caloric intake and television watching, children with higher BPA concentrations were twice as likely to be obese as those with the lowest concentrations (roughly 20% vs. 10%). The BPA–obesity link was significant only among white children.

The researchers cite studies showing that BPA interferes with “multiple metabolic mechanisms.” Nonetheless, they acknowledge that their cross-sectional analysis “cannot rule out the possibility that obese children ingest food with higher BPA content or have greater adipose stores of BPA.”

Source: JAMA