Pollution Cause Obesity?

Obesity may have another culprit – pollution that builds up in the body over the years. Researchers from the University of Granada analyzed 300 people for the content of impurities in adipose tissue. The so-called POPs, which are persistent pollutants that accumulate in our bodies for decades. 

They include, among others. DDE, the major metabolite DDT pesticide, widely used around the world in 1980 and now used to fight malaria, Linda’s insecticide, often used in the past in agriculture as well as in the manufacture of certain drugs for lice and scabies as well polychlorinated biphenyls, used in many industrial devices, still present in old electrical transformers. Despite the fact that the use of these compounds is currently very limited, POPs are a serious public health problem. In 100 percent at least one of these compounds was detected.

Scientists emphasize that we are subject to accumulation organic pollutants mainly through the diet. Previous Research has shown that high-risk products are particularly dangerous fat content such as fish and meat. Importantly, there really isn’t safe levels for POP.

It turned out that people with the most accumulated POPs not only had a higher body weight, but also a tendency to higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, which is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, regardless of gender, age and smoking. 

Further research is essential. Obesity may not only be a consequence of higher food consumption, but also exposure to certain chemicals that may promote the growth and proliferation of adipocytes (fat cells) and cause fat gain. Of course, this knowledge should not become an excuse for us. This is probably one of the many contributing causes of the obesity epidemic in the world. However, it does not hurt to follow the rules of a healthy diet, avoid processed products, with a whole list of artificial additives, fatty meats, or even give up farmed fish.

The photo is from: 1, barbourians / Foter / CC BY-SA