After a shift to one time zone, consultations rose; phthalates were associated with estrogen, and body fat was associated with diabetes
Cardiovascular consultations rose temporarily after Kazakhstan's time change. Separate studies associated chemical exposure with estrogen and rising body fat between measurements with diabetes risk.
Science··Evening
Cardiovascular consultations rise for six months in eastern Kazakhstan
After Kazakhstan moved the entire country to the UTC+5 time zone in March 2024, cardiovascular consultations in eastern regions rose by 11.4 per cent relative to western comparison regions during the first six months. The researchers combined clinical-use data with a nationwide survey and compared eastern and western administrative units over time. Eastern residents also reported sleep disturbance and headache more often. By early 2025, the consultation gap no longer differed significantly from the modelled baseline. The study shows an association between the time change and consultations; it does not measure diagnosed disease or establish a direct causal link.[1]
Phthalate and BPA readings rise with estrogen in 90 women
The cross-sectional study compared urinary phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A readings with blood estrogen and progesterone in 90 women. BPA, monobutyl phthalate and the sum of DEHP metabolites were each associated with higher estrogen; a model of the chemical mixture as a whole also found a positive overall association. Smoking, bottled water and drinks, ready-to-eat food and cosmetics use tracked with higher DEHP and BPA readings. Because the measurements came from one point in time and a small sample, the results do not establish a causal effect over time.[2]
Rising body fat between measurements is associated with diabetes risk
In a Korean cohort that followed adults for up to 21 years, each percentage point of body fat gained between consecutive visits was associated with a higher risk of diabetes in both men and women. Among men who were not classified as obese, those in the highest body-fat group carried more risk than those in the middle group, a difference that body mass index alone did not capture. Women who moved from the high body-fat category to a lower one nevertheless had greater risk than women who remained in the middle group. The researchers noted that weight loss accompanying early illness could create that pattern.[3]
