Obesogens
They are substances that may have an impact on or encourage obesity in people or animals Research indicates that obesity rates are rising. Recent research is starting to examine the potential environmental causes of this, including obesogens .Food containers, toys, kitchenware, personal care products, cleaning supplies, and other common household goods contain these compounds .They can contaminate food, water, or the air since they are found in such a wide variety of sources, which multiplies the ways that people can be exposed to them .These substances could change how your body regulates energy balance in order to make you acquire weight .It is significant to emphasise that the studies on the effects
Functions
Obesogens are thought to be endocrine disrupting substances (EDCs). As a result, they may affect your endocrine system and consequently, your hormones.Perhaps surprisingly, nearly 1,000 different types of the compounds that are registered for use in commerce can be categorised as EDCs .Your endocrine system is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance of energy and fat storage since endocrine organs and hormones govern your metabolism and body weight.Obesogens may encourage obesity through the following mechanisms:
•More fat cells being produced
•Modifying the rate of fat cell synthesis vs death boosting the accumulation of fat in already-existing fat cells
•Rebalancing the energy system to prioritise calorie storage
•Altering the body’s calorie need, or basal metabolic rate (BMR).
It has been discovered through research that EDCs are present in the placenta, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood, indicating that obesogen exposure to humans may begin as early as in the mother’s womb .Early developmental exposure to EDCs may have an impact on obesity later in life. Furthermore, because the enzymes involved in their disposal are not yet fully functional, it may raise the risk of illnesses including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source.The transgenerational effects of EDCs, which are a result of prenatal exposure to EDCs having an influence on a foetus’ metabolism, may even be passed down to future generations.
ways to reduce your exposure
The impact of obesogens on human health is little understood. The degree of their interactions with other recognised obesity risk factors such inflammation, food, eating habits, and appetite control are far less well understood.Studies on animals show that some EDCs can accumulate in tissues while others may increase the risk of obesity and other metabolic diseases in the next generation .Even though it’s doubtful that you can completely avoid obesogens, there are a few easy steps you can take to lessen your exposure, such as choosing organic produce such fruits, vegetables, corn, wheat, and rice whenever feasible avoiding the use of cosmetics and personal care items that include EDC.
The bottome line
Chemicals known as “obesogens” have the potential to worsen obesity by interfering with your body’s hormonal and endocrine systems.But keep in mind that much of the research into these substances’ alleged effects has been done on animals. There is not enough information on how they affect human health.The majority of obesogens can easily enter your food and beverages because they are found in common home goods.Therefore, if you’re concerned about potential health impacts, adopting organic food and avoiding plastic containers are simple strategies to decrease your exposure.
