Smart Woman: BPA
By: Lane Stone
Updated: March 30, 2012
Carrie Jaffe has three young children. And she's careful about what they eat. That means only foods that are packaged without BPA.
"This is something that can affect our children now and for the rest of their lives," said Jaffe.
BPA is the industrial chemical, bisphenol-a. It's used in all kinds of food containers, from baby bottles to tin cans. And it could be a health risk - particularly for children, and pregnant women.
"She will take the BPA into her body and immediately pass it through to her baby, where it can cause terrible damage to the baby," said pediatrician Dr. Philip Landrigan.
A recent study looked specifically at the effect of BPA in children under three. It found the chemical can change their behavior, making them anxious or hyperactive.
Many companies, including Campbells soup, have already started phasing it out. But Dr. Landrigan said the government needs to carefully vet the alternatives.
"The problem is, we don't know if those substitutes are safe or unsafe - for the simple reason they haven't been properly tested," said Dr. Landrigan.
Nine years ago, when her oldest child was a baby, Carrie Jaffe didn't know about the possible risks from BPA.
"I feel very concerned that i inadvertently exposed her to a lot of issues," said Jaffe.
She wants the government to ban BPA so she'll have one less thing to worry about.
The environmental working group has run tests and found the highest concentrations of BPA in cans of soup, pasta and infant formula.
"This is something that can affect our children now and for the rest of their lives," said Jaffe.
BPA is the industrial chemical, bisphenol-a. It's used in all kinds of food containers, from baby bottles to tin cans. And it could be a health risk - particularly for children, and pregnant women.
"She will take the BPA into her body and immediately pass it through to her baby, where it can cause terrible damage to the baby," said pediatrician Dr. Philip Landrigan.
A recent study looked specifically at the effect of BPA in children under three. It found the chemical can change their behavior, making them anxious or hyperactive.
Many companies, including Campbells soup, have already started phasing it out. But Dr. Landrigan said the government needs to carefully vet the alternatives.
"The problem is, we don't know if those substitutes are safe or unsafe - for the simple reason they haven't been properly tested," said Dr. Landrigan.
Nine years ago, when her oldest child was a baby, Carrie Jaffe didn't know about the possible risks from BPA.
"I feel very concerned that i inadvertently exposed her to a lot of issues," said Jaffe.
She wants the government to ban BPA so she'll have one less thing to worry about.
The environmental working group has run tests and found the highest concentrations of BPA in cans of soup, pasta and infant formula.
