'Forever toxins' found in everything from cosmetics to waterproof clothing linked to weight struggle

Toxins found in everything from cosmetics to waterproof clothing could hinder weight loss, a study has shown.

Researchers have discovered that levels of so-called 'forever' chemicals in the blood may, in the long term, lead to people piling the pounds back on after shedding them.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are in hundreds of everyday products because of their durability.

But last year a review of 500 studies found they were linked to 'serious health implications', including weakening the immune system and cancer.

The Government is set to receive recommendations from a panel of experts later this year on how levels of PFAS can be reduced.

Now researchers say the chemicals may also affect the body's metabolic process – which is how it converts food into nutrients.

In the study, published in the Journal Of Obesity this week, researchers assessed 186 teenagers who had bariatric surgery – which works by making the stomach smaller and the patient feel fuller quicker.

After the surgery, patients are at risk of slowly putting weight back on, and the researchers found people with high levels of PFAS were at a greater risk.

They tested the participants' blood for levels of PFAS before the surgery and found that those with the highest levels of the chemicals put on twice as much weight in the five years after the surgery compared to those with the lowest levels.

'With the growing use of weight loss interventions around the world, it's critical for us to understand the association between PFAS and successful weight loss management, including what this means for long-term outcomes,' said Dr Brittney Baumert, a researcher at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine who led the study.

'PFAS are a modifiable risk, which is why protective policies are so important to reduce exposure and safeguard public health – especially for vulnerable populations.'

Experts say that while their research looked specifically at bariatric surgery, the findings may also be relevant for people on fat jabs.

'We're also interested in exploring whether PFAS exposure is relevant to other weight loss interventions, including GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic,' said Dr Baumert.