‘Forever Chemicals’

[GURPS]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has connected PFAS exposure to a range of severe health problems from developmental delays in children and fertility issues to obesity and cancer. PFAS exposure has also been linked to abnormal cholesterol levels, hormone suppression, and liver damage. Last summer, the EPA issued a health advisory about the lingering chemicals, raising the alarm that exposure was more dangerous than previously known. The agency updated guidelines from 2016 to reset determined risk exposure to two of the most widely studied chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, from 70 parts per trillion to nearly zero.

The new data published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on Wednesday revealed 45 percent of the nation’s tap water contained at least one or more types of “forever chemicals.” Researchers measured for just 32 different kinds of PFAS out of more than 12,000 that exist. Samples were taken from 716 locations between 2016 and 2021.

“USGS scientists tested water collected directly from people’s kitchen sinks across the nation, providing the most comprehensive study to date on PFAS in tap water from both private wells and public supplies,” USGS research hydrologist Kelly Smalling, the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “PFAS concentrations were similar between public supplies and private wells.”

Federal Study Finds 'Forever Chemicals' In 45% Of Tap Water

The EPA has connected PFAS exposure to a range of health problems from fertility issues to obesity and cancer.

thefederalist.com

 

[SamSpade]

I’m hearing more and more about this lately. It tends to confirm some of the things I’ve observed - people coming to this country - over time - become more lethargic, less healthy, more obese and so on. I’ve never quite figured out why, when I go abroad, I eat like a demon but still lose weight and come back not exhausted but energized.

On a similar note - I once assisted my wife writing a paper on childhood obesity. Data was created graphically according to regions of increasing childhood obesity and oddly enough - they occurred in roughly roundish geographical regions that expanded over many years. NEW regions would appear - and THEY would expand.

Hate to say it - but THAT sounds like a contagion. Toxins and social behavior - such as, kids not playing energetically - that doesn’t spread geographically outward. People gain weight for all kinds of reasons, but an increasing trend over thirty to forty years of childhood obesity - however slowly - it doesn’t move like that.

The experience of going abroad and not keeping a strict diet - but still losing weight - is something I’ve observed and heard from others for decades.

Something in the water?

 

[Tech]

I’m hearing more and more about this lately. It tends to confirm some of the things I’ve observed - people coming to this country - over time - become more lethargic, less healthy, more obese and so on. I’ve never quite figured out why, when I go abroad, I eat like a demon but still lose weight and come back not exhausted but energized.

On a similar note - I once assisted my wife writing a paper on childhood obesity. Data was created graphically according to regions of increasing childhood obesity and oddly enough - they occurred in roughly roundish geographical regions that expanded over many years. NEW regions would appear - and THEY would expand.

Hate to say it - but THAT sounds like a contagion. Toxins and social behavior - such as, kids not playing energetically - that doesn’t spread geographically outward. People gain weight for all kinds of reasons, but an increasing trend over thirty to forty years of childhood obesity - however slowly - it doesn’t move like that.

The experience of going abroad and not keeping a strict diet - but still losing weight - is something I’ve observed and heard from others for decades.

Something in the water?

As a child, going to Gino's was a treat, where your only choice was burger, cheese burger or a Giant. Soda and shakes along with fries came in one size, now considered small.

 

[GURPS]

when I go abroad, I eat like a demon but still lose weight and come back not exhausted but energized.

American Food is loaded with sugar

 

[SamSpade]

As a child, going to Gino's was a treat, where your only choice was burger, cheese burger or a Giant. Soda and shakes along with fries came in one size, now considered small.

I've no doubt, there are LOTS of contributing factors to childhood obesity. When I was a kid, I wasn't even the most energetic, go out and play kind of kid - but my evenings and summers were playing in the cornfield, riding bikes through trails in the woods and playing in the creek and swimming at the local pool. I was never very athletic, but I wasn't overweight either. At least not until halfway through college.

MY kids are relatively slim - my oldest is skinny as a rail. But I do think they spend less time being active outside of specific activities - my son is a poor athlete, but he does some kind of athletic activity just about daily.

I do know what people say, when they come to visit - that American restaurants simply bring too much food - there's sugar in everything - snacks are everywhere and they find them addicting. Ditto fast food - they don't have as much access to them at home, and despite sneering at American obesity - they find themselves craving a Big Mac or fries.

But the pattern I noticed - was - weird. Try to imagine a large region centered in, say, Missisippi (I am making up the specifics, because I can't remember, but the pattern is what I am illustrating) where childhood obesity rates are, say, 10% in 1970. In five years, the circle around that region has expanded and gotten darker - now, it's 12% and an outer ring is 10. At this point, three other regions in the south have appeared. Circles of 10%. Smaller ones pop up elsewhere, but they are a small number. Five years later, every new region looks like the first - bigger, expanding outward and the rates largest IN THE CENTER. Another five years, another - the rates grow slowly, over thirty plus years - but they never contract, and they spread geographically.

I have to say, when I first saw it, it was EERIE. For all of the world, looked like a very, very slow growing disease.

Like I said - we're doing a LOT to fatten up kids - less time in P.E. and less time in recess and playing. I remember when I was a kid, school was longer but we got THREE recess breaks. School ended at FOUR. I remember that, because when my third grade teacher asked me my favorite time of day, I said four o'clock, and she winced and said so your favorite time of day is when school is over? But we got an hour for lunch recess, and easily 15-20 minutes two other times. And P.E. was every day. There were no video games; we lived in neighborhoods where the streets were filled with kids riding bikes, and the neighborhood pool was filled with kids, swimming and playing. No private parties, no competitive events. Childhood was active.

 

[SamSpade]

American Food is loaded with sugar

Oh yeah. I mean, one objection friends have when they visit is, plain white bread is SWEET to them. They don't like it. Ditto butter.

But in China and Ethiopia, we ate to bursting. Admittedly, it was because - breakfast was FREE (came with the hotel) and snacking was dificult most of the time. I was ALWAYS full, there. Russia, not so much, because Russian food is kinda bleh, and snacks are worse. But we also didn't do much all day either. If we weren't visiting our son, we were in our room, reading or watching videos we brought. When we got to Moscow, I was the only one who went exploring alone.

We still lost weight. Every place. And we went to Ethiopia twice - my wife went to Russia, twice. I never understood why, but I bet people on here have experienced this - go to Paris, drink wine, eat baguettes, drink beer in Germany - come home, lost 10 pounds.

 

[limblips]

Another study with a predetermined outcome? Why were the tests conducted on "selected" locations? What were the "links" to all of the maladies listed? While there may be something to PFAs this appears to me to be another Chicken Little story. Is Al Gore selling PFA credits?

 

[GURPS]

Oh yeah. I mean, one objection friends have when they visit is, plain white bread is SWEET to them.

Yep .. 1999 a friend from the UK visited, our bread was so sweet ...,

 

[SamSpade]

Yep .. 1999 a friend from the UK visited, our bread was so sweet ...,

It's true, but strange also - I tend to think of plain white bread as being tasteless.

 

[SamSpade]

Another study with a predetermined outcome? Why were the tests conducted on "selected" locations? What were the "links" to all of the maladies listed? While there may be something to PFAs this appears to me to be another Chicken Little story. Is Al Gore selling PFA credits?

Dunno - but - you can't conduct a survey of anything without sampling. A good, scientifically, mathematically sound sample can be extremely accurate. A cherry-picked one to produce a desired outcome is useless. I just tend to categorically reject the notion that people bring up so often is that you MUST TEST ALL OF THEM, YOU MUST ASK EVERY PERSON - and so on - to get an accurate answer.

What's strange and hard to believe is - doing THAT does not guarantee accuracy either, because collecting ALL the relevant data for something is extremely difficult. Every ten years, we count every single person in the United States, and every five years, we collect data from every business, manufacturer, from agriculture and finance, from real estate to foreign trade - and we still don't get it all.

I've read OTHER sources before, on this subject - and it is disturbing that some of these are in our GROUND WATER. Meaning, it's not just our water providers, but the water everywhere.

 

[Tech]

It's true, but strange also - I tend to think of plain white bread as being tasteless.

Subway sandwiches were in a dispute with Ireland over their rolls, due their sugar content. They are classified as cake, thereby subject to the VAT.

 

[Monello]

American Food is loaded with sugar

High fructose corn syrup.