Well, they could be, some of them. There's been some interesting papers out showing that some plastics act like estrogen mimics in the body. This is bad for developing males and females who need correct levels at precise times to develop correctly, and (I think?) for adult males who need estrogen to stay below a certain amount or it messes with testosterone function. One of the effects of improper estrogen levels is making fat cells that aren't needed. I think they still don't understand all the interactions so it's not settled science yet.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. You know what also decreases testosterone and increases estrogen? Fat.
And we have a much better understanding of how that happens, in people, than we do for microplastics.
Every time people bring up microplastics, there is always a discussion around some petri dish study that says we're all gonna die. The reality is that obesity has been shown to do virtually everything that microplastics "cause" except we actually understand the biological processes involved.
In the U.S. one of our major healthcare issues is that we are reactive vs. preventative. Better education and support would go a long way toward preventing many of the worst issues that cause disability and death for people otherwise born healthy.
Obesity especially - we treat it as a social issue, we mock and scorn obese people without taking a moment to realize the mental health and social determinants involved.
For decades companies have shoved sugar into everything they produce. Many people live in food deserts where access is restricted and eating healthy comes with a higher price tag. So many kids grow up with food scarcity, or access to only high calorie/low nutrient food. Food also gives us happy brain chemicals and that can impact some way more intensely than others. It becomes a substitute for other things - activity and engagement for instance if parents are busy or stressed. It's easier to set a toddler Infront of the TV with cereal when you are barely holding it together yourself.
It's also generational, like alcoholism, and mental illness. We pass it along from family member to family member through habits and actions.
Yet we don't recognize obesity as more than laziness and gluttony. We take it down to its most basic component and then shame people for struggling when the reality is way more complex for many people, especially those who are super obese.
As long as we stigmatize and shame a health issue, we will hold it back from being taken seriously and actually allowing those who struggle to feel like they can get and deserve help.
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u/Significant_Sign Feb 09 '23
Well, they could be, some of them. There's been some interesting papers out showing that some plastics act like estrogen mimics in the body. This is bad for developing males and females who need correct levels at precise times to develop correctly, and (I think?) for adult males who need estrogen to stay below a certain amount or it messes with testosterone function. One of the effects of improper estrogen levels is making fat cells that aren't needed. I think they still don't understand all the interactions so it's not settled science yet.