Monash University researchers are launching Australia's first nationwide survey to understand where people are being exposed to plastics and how it's impacting our heart health.
The survey is part of the Monash University-led Plastic Heart Study, with researchers aiming to build evidence around exposure and where it co-occurs with high blood pressure.
Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure contributes to about 25,000 deaths in Australia each year.
It is also a leading cause of many serious heart issues and cardiovascular conditions, and around half of those who have it don't know.
The survey will ask participants about their heart health and the materials they regularly come into contact with.
Two to three days after taking the survey, participants will receive feedback on blood pressure levels, diet, and what they can do to limit exposure to plastics.
Principal investigator Professor Francine Marques, Head of the Hypertension Research Laboratory and Deputy Director (Discovery) at Monash's Victorian Heart Institute, said the study will fill major gaps in our understanding of how Australians are being exposed to plastics.
"A lot of the focus of plastics research to date has been on environmental pollution like measuring microplastics in water sources," Professor Marques said.
"We still have a long way to go in understanding how much plastic is making it into our bodies, where it's coming from, and whether it's contributing to common conditions like high blood pressure.
"Plastic is now part of almost everything we eat and drink. What we don't know is whether it's quietly pushing up Australians' blood pressure.
"Before we can tell people what to change, we need to know what Australians are actually doing every day."
Study coordinator Madoka Lelliott, a Monash PhD candidate studying gut microbiota, microplastics and hypertension, said everyday interactions with plastics may contribute to exposure to microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals through ingestion, inhalation and skin contact.
"Plastic has become so deeply embedded in our daily lives that we often overlook how frequently we interact with it," Lelliott said.
"Yet, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of people's everyday plastic-related behaviours and how these vary across different lifestyles and living environments.
"These findings could help guide future plastics research by identifying patterns of potential exposure and highlighting population groups or everyday behaviours that may deserve greater attention."
Collaborator Professor Michaela Lucas, Principal Investigator of the Plastic Exposure Reduction Transforms Health (PERTH) Trial at The University of Western Australia, said the survey would help researchers identify impactful health solutions.
"This is an exciting project, given the evidence is rapidly building that shows plastics affect heart health," Professor Lucas said.
"Studies like this one will help our understanding of how we're exposed to plastics, to what level and how we can intervene."
Participants will need to check their blood pressure up to seven days before undertaking the survey.
Take the survey: https://redcap.link/plasticheart
