Ballooning waistlines have turned type 2 diabetes into a global epidemic. But growing evidence points to another risk factor – one that poses less danger but cannot be fully avoided – bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.

Bisphenol A is the controversial chemical used to make certain plastics, including those in some disposable water bottles and plastic takeaway containers. It is so widely used that 95 per cent of people have detectable levels in their urine.

New research from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne now suggests exposure to BPA increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Bisphenol A is a controversial chemical used to make certain plastics. Credit:Washington Post

The study by French and Australian researchers, published in Environmental Health Perspectives on Thursday, tracked 755 healthy people over nine years.