CNN —Chemical toxins are everywhere — in our water, food, air and soil. Children born to European mothers exposed to four families of chemicals that disrupt the body’s endocrine (hormone) system had elevated levels of metabolic syndrome at ages 6 to 11. Metabolic syndrome can include obesity, elevated blood pressure, and abnormally high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is typically associated with adult cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, but the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has seen symptoms appearing in kids at younger and younger ages. Having metabolic syndrome as a child is highly predictive of chronic disease as an adult, experts say.

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Persons: Nuria Güil, ”, Oumrait, Vicente Mustieles, Mariana Fernández, Carmen Messerlian, Messerlian, phthalates, “, Jane Houlihan, ” Houlihan, Houlihan, PFAS, EWG Organizations: CNN, Icahn School of Medicine, JAMA, Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Harvard, of Public Health, International Council for Chemical Associations, American Chemistry Council, EPA, Food, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Sinai, New York City, Spain, Messerlian, Chan, Boston, United States