The obesity is one of the common problems people and children in America face with nowadays. The Environmental Health Policy Institute (EHPI) announced that 19% of the youth and children in America are obese. There are various factors that contribute to this problem and the poor diet, genetics and physical inactivity are some of them. However, the environment affects the weight gain in children too. According to a recent research the increase of chemicals in our diet contributes to obesity epidemic. The EHPI adds that certain endocrine disrupting chemicals affect how the body creates and stores fact which could be contributing to this epidemic. In addition, there are a lot of obesogens which can lead to a weight gain through a variety of means. Low doses of endocrine disruptors actually have worse effects than high doses. Keep reading and find out where you can find these obesogens.
List of Obesogens:
The obesogens can be found in many chemicals and many items such as banned items, pharmaceutical items and nicotine. However, the list presented below contains the ones that pose an everyday danger and you can do something to stop that.
- PDBEs ( flame retardants)
The PDBEs can be found in electronics, plastic foam, textiles, cars, building materials and furniture. Avoid this chemical by buying products that are free of them.
- High Fructose Corn Syrup ( HFCS)
This sugar is a suspected obesogen. There are many debates in regard to this question and they are focused on the idea whether the body metabolizes this product like the sugar does. According to a study done at Princeton University, rats drinking HFCS gained much more weight than the rats fed with sugar water. In addition, the first ones had more weigh-associated issues.
- Chemical Pesticides, especially Atrazine and DDE
According to Environmental Health Perspectives, these “have been linked to increased BMI in children”and shown to build up resistance to insulin in rodents, which can lead to diabetes. Apart from the Dirty Dozen, these chemicals can be found into the tap water as well.
- PCBs
Initially, the PCBs were used as flame retardant. In 1979 they were banned. According to Rodale News these chemicals come from contaminated dairy products, meat and contaminated fish.
- Monosodium glutamate ( MSG)
This chemical can be found in many canned soups from your local supermarket and it many restaurants. MSG, hotly debated obesogen is considered to affect your appetite. It increases the appetite, leaves you feeling full and craving for more food. According to many studies this chemical also leads to obesity. However, given that it is a known excitotoxin, a chemical that over stimulates your neurons and can damage them, we recommend avoiding it.
- BPA
This chemical can be found in medical devices, cash register receipts and cans. According to many studies it may increase the glucose intolerance in animals and it may increase the abdominal fat too. Moreover, many studies have shown that canned tuna has the highest levels of BPA. As you can see, the traditional diet may make you gain fat even more.
- Soy
The GMO free soy can lead to many problems including the fact that it may also be obesogen. The soy is one of the most common foods for livestock, meaning that your meat contains more fat that the grass fed livestock. Soy contains genisten and diedzein, also known as phytoestrogens, which can help promote the growth of fat cells. To be precise, it has some of the highest levels of phytoestrogens. Hopefully, this will make you reconsider your choice to give soy formula to your baby.
- Artificial Sweeteners
The artificial sweeteners are mainly found in diet soda. There was a hot debate about whether these artificial sweeteners cause weight gain. According to a study cited in Nature, these sweeteners interfere with healthy gut bacteria and can induce glucose intolerance. This can eventually lead to weight gain.
- Phthalates
This carcinogen can be found in air fresheners, wall paint, plastic, toys, vinyl and many other personal and beauty care products. According to a 2010 study in the Environmental Health Perspectives, this widely used chemical affects the thyroid hormones and growth levels in children. Moreover, it is linked to insulin resistance in people who are obese as well as belly weight in adult U.S males.
- PFOA
This chemical is used in food packaging (microwave popcorn bags), nonstick coatings like Teflon, carpeting, luggage, clothing, backpacks and it was even found in water. According to a 2012 study in Environmental Health News, exposure to this chemical during pregnancy is linked to increased weight in daughters.
- Antibiotics
Martin J. Blaser who is the director of the Human Microbiome Program and a professor of medicine and microbiology at New York University, studied the effects of antibiotics on mice raised on a high calorie diet, like the one many American kids eat. The study showed that the mice that were put on a high calorie diet gained “twice as much body fat as control-group mice who at the same food.” It is a well-known fact that the antibiotics are fed to non-organic livestock and that they can disrupt the gut bacteria.
- Tributylin (TBT)
This chemical can be found in ship paint, carpets, vinyl products and also as a preservative for wood, pesticide, bactericide and fungicide. TBT was listed as an endocrine disruptor by the European Union and Illinois EPA. In addition, Environmental Health Perspectives, in fact, has a scientific article entitled “An Obesogen Over Time: Transgenerational Impact of Tributyltin,” which reveals studies that have linked TBT to obesity through at least 3 generations.
How to protect yourself from obesogen?
There are various studies done in order to determine how we can conquer obesity in America. One of the concrete steps is the reduction of our exposure to obesogens. We offer you a list of 14 steps you can take in order to avoid the exposure to these chemicals.
- Buy safe furniture
The mattresses can off gas dangerous toxins. So, the next time you make a purchase take this into consideration in order to protect yourself.
- Eliminate canned food products and microwave popcorn
The canned food products and microwave popcorn contain obesogens. It is highly recommended to buy as few of them as possible.
- Eat organic
By eating organic you can be sure that the food is free of obesogens due to the lack of pesticides.
- Avoid MSG
Even though it seems impossible, you can find restaurants that don’t use this chemical and offer items that avoid it. MSG is present by many alternate names and it can be also found in many spices and organic foods whose labeling requirements are very lax. A product can say “no MSG” and be organic, yet still contain some traces of it. “Organic spices”, “natural spices” and “yeast extract” can be alternate names for MSG, and spice mixes frequently contain it as well. It’s better to buy single organic spices. Say No to MSG has a pretty exhaustive list of alternate names for MSG.
- Eat grass feed meat and dairy
The grass fed meat and dairy products are the most nutritional and the best choice for you and your family.
- Get rid of nonstick cookware
It is recommended to replace the Teflon with glass, cast iron and ceramic.
- Eliminate plastic
Try to avoid the storage plastic bags and use stainless containers, reusable canvas and glass instead.
- Use antibiotics minimally
The antibiotics should be replaced with sensible home remedies and healthy gut bacteria. Children can build up a tolerance to antibiotics so reconsider your choice of treatment when you and your family get sick. There are various ways of naturally prevention of flu.
- Damp vinyl
This refers to the luggage and the backpacks. Look for organic blends and canvas instead.
- Filter your water
The tap water contains many toxins and it is highly recommended to select a quality filter.
- Reduce or eliminate soy
Make sure the soy you use is Non-GMO verified or organic. It would be better to eliminate it but the reduction and smart choice is a good start.
- Stop using artificial sweeteners
You will make yourself a huge favor if you replace the soda with some homemade fresh juice.
- Eliminate high fructose corn syrup
The high fructose corn syrup is mainly found in pancake syrup and soda but it is found in many packaged foods as well.
- Avoid tracking pesticides into your home
Grow your lawn organically and make sure it is free of pesticides.
Even though the obesogens are everywhere around us we can still take some steps in order to protect ourselves. Paying attention to our gut bacteria, following an organic and healthy diet and detoxing our home are one of the steps that prevent obesity. You need to make a gradual change. Pay attention to the labels when shopping for beauty products as wells as for groceries. Replace your plastic storage and nonstick cookware with safer variant. Cook more often and create family meal plans. Eliminate the packaged foods and find healthier choices. Try to make these changes and you and your family will benefit from them. It is really important to do this because many of those chemicals are toxic, including the neorutoxins and endocrine disruptors.
