Exposure to bisphenol a and risk of developing type 2 diabetes: A mini review

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder, which results from a defect in insulin production, impaired insulin action or both. It is now regarded as one of the major non-communicable diseases on the rise worldwide. This exponential rise in incidence of T2DM, especially in children, adolescents and women of childbearing age, may be partly attributed to diet, lifestyle and genetic variation. However, the effects of exposure to environmental contaminants, such as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), cannot be neglected. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor, and one of the large volume chemicals produced worldwide. BPA is widely used additive in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. BPA can either be released into the environment during the production process and/or by leaching from the finished products. This high production volume (HPV) chemical is ubiquitous in the environment and consistently high levels of BPA in human subjects (in serum as well as in urine) have been reported. Due to endocrine disrupting properties of BPA, owing to its affinity for the estrogen receptors, its potential metabolic effects have been an interest for researchers worldwide. Therefore, the objective of this review is to assess the exposure to BPA in pregnant women and children and its probable role in the development of T2DM.