Although 9 out of 10 Americans have Bisphenol A in their bodies, the Food and Drug Administration claims the levels of exposure to the chemical are negligible to jeopardize their health, even for babies and children.

Commonly known as BPA, bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical used in a wide variety of consumer goods, such as food and drink packaging applications, making plastic hard. But it has also been found in household dust, drinking water or tooth sealants. It is so common that avoiding it is almost impossible.

According to the findings of a health survey, based on data about 1,500 Americans, individuals exposed to higher amounts of Bisphenol A had no less than 40% higher rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, as well as liver damage. This category was also more prone to be impecunious and overweight, researchers said.

However, more studies should be carried out in order to determine if BPA is really associated with health problems or it is a simple coincidence. The FDA agreed with the idea of doing additional research. "We recognize the need to resolve the concerning questions that have been raised," said Laura Tarantino, director of FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Despite the fact that previous studies involving rats and mice found a link between the chemical and diabetes, as well as liver abnormalities, several limitations must be taken into consideration. “Urinary concentrations tell you the exposure over the last 24 hours, but heart disease and diabetes do not occur overnight," said Steven G. Hentges, executive director of the Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group of the American Chemistry Council. "Bisphenol A would have to be measured over the time period when heart disease or diabetes is actually occurring, so that's a major limitation of the study," Hentges concluded.