News: Possible link between non-stick cookware and high cholesterol in kids

Non-stick cookware may make life easier in the kitchen’no stuck-on food means easier cleaup after dinner’but if you’re a parent, it could also be cause for concern. New research suggests that chemical compounds found in non-stick cookware, may boost cholesterol levels in kids, reports the CBC.

The chemicals in question are perfluoroalkyl acids’including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS)’which are used to make non-stick coating such as Teflon, as well as stain-resistant and waterproof fabric coating (think Scotchguard and Gore-Tex). The chemicals are absorbed during everyday exposure to these kinds of products, even though you might not realize it.

The study, published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, was completed by analyzing blood samples from more than 12,000 children and adolescents between 2005 and 2006. Researchers at West Virginia University’s  School of Medicine collected samples for what they called The C8 Health Project‘the result of a class-action lawsuit involving claims of PFOA-contaminated water. What they found was that kids with the highest levels of these chemicals in their blood also had higher levels of "bad" cholesterol, known as LDL.

While the study does not make a direct link between the use of non-stick cookware and high cholesterol, specifically, researchers concluded that the association between the two warrants more study.

Do you use non-stick cookware at home? Will this make you think twice about the kinds of products you’re using around the house?

Related:
‘ 4 foods that boost good cholesterol
‘ "I reduced my cholesterol"
‘ High cholesterol