Is the Can Worse Than the Soda?

DevotedSkeptic sends this excerpt about research that found a correlation between the use of a common food-packaging chemical and obesity rates. "Since the 1960s, manufacturers have widely used the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in plastics and food packaging. Only recently, though, have scientists begun thoroughly looking into how the compound might affect human health—and what they've found has been a cause for concern. Starting in 2006, a series of studies, mostly in mice, indicated that the chemical might act as an endocrine disruptor (by mimicking the hormone estrogen), cause problems during development and potentially affect the reproductive system, reducing fertility. After a 2010 Food and Drug Administration report warned that the compound could pose an especially hazardous risk for fetuses, infants and young children, BPA-free water bottles and food containers started flying off the shelves. In July, the FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, but the chemical is still present in aluminum cans, containers of baby formula and other packaging materials. Now comes another piece of data on a potential risk from BPA but in an area of health in which it has largely been overlooked: obesity. A study by researchers from New York University, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at a sample of nearly 3,000 children and teens across the country and found a 'significant' link between the amount of BPA in their urine and the prevalence of obesity."

Re:Silly

[Nadaka]

glass

strange end result

[Tumbleweed]

World saved by Mexican Coke! (Coca-Cola, that is).

Re:Silly

[jenningsthecat]

...you're a tool if you think solid beer isn't available in can form.

It's only solid if it's frozen. I prefer my beer in a liquid state, thanks.

Re:Silly

[Zero__Kelvin]

I'm sorry. But I just ran objective tests on various beers using my Mass Beer Spectacle-ometer and it clearly indicated that bottled beer, while better than tap beer, is actually not as good as canned beer. It also indicated that Hillary Clinton is hot.

Re:Silly

[Evtim]

The bosses of Amstel, Heineken and Grolsh are meeting in a cafe (probably for price-fixing). The waiter comes and the Heineken boss orders Heineken beer. The Amstel boss orders Amstel and the Grolsh boss orders one Amstel and one Heineken!! Noticing the incredulous stares of the others he says "Oh, it is too early for a beer".

Seriously though, why does it take at least a decade before something that is well known to scientist finds its place in the public domain, especially when the data is vitally important for the public? Is the use of a tinfoil hat warranted in this case? I think yes...

I know about this issue for more than a decade from my biochemistry-educated friends. In fact one of them after his kid was born visited me in Western Europe and the first thing he said after the greetings was "Can we find anywhere in this country a glass baby bottle?!" Turned out he had investigated thoroughly the full range of plastic baby bottles available on the market (including ultra expensive brands) and found they all release ungodly amounts of dangerous stuff (including the BPA). I had to disappoint him, but we still found a solution. One chain of supermarkets often uses fruits that are about to expire to make juice without any additives, that needs to be consumed within 24 hours. They use glass bottles with a tread. The tread could be used to attache the silicon sleeve for the baby to suck on. Case closed. Conclusion:

The nerds will inherit the Earth (our children will be healthier)!!