We all know that poor diet and lack of physical activity contribute greatly to the obesity problem in the United States, but did know that that there’s a class of artificial chemicals that are also linked to an increased susceptibility to weight gain? They’re called obesogens, and they’re found in many everyday products.
Need another reason to stop using plastics and add fresh foods to your diet? When you learn about the dangers of obesogenic exposure, you’ll rethink how you package, store and choose your foods.
What Are Obesogens?
Obesogens are artificial chemicals that are found in various food containers, cookware and plastics. They have become known as a subset of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
These chemicals have been shown to be involved in weight gain. They can also interfere with any aspect of hormone action and have been linked to issues related to fertility and puberty.
There are over 20 chemicals that are identified as obesogens. The term was coined around 2006, when exposure to these chemicals during early development were found to disrupt normal metabolic processes and increase a person’s susceptibility to weight gain across his or her life span.
It’s not that obesogens directly cause obesity, but they do increase your susceptibility and sensitivity to gaining weight, especially if you are exposed to the chemicals during development.
Studies indicate that obesogens promote obesity by altering the programming of fat cell development, increasing energy storage in fat tissue, and interfering with neuroendocrine control of appetite and satiety. In other words, they change how your body regulates feelings of hunger and fullness.
They can also increase the effects of high-fat and high-sugar diets.
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