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Fat Plastic

DIET AND EXERCISE HABITS LOOM LARGE IN AMERICA’S OBESITY EPIDEMIC. BUT COMMON CHEMICALS MAY ALSO SHARE THE BLAME. LEARN WHY ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

CHEMICALS CALLED ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AFFECT OUR BODIES BY ACTING LIKE NATURAL HORMONES.  THEY ARE FOUND IN MANY PESTICIDES AND CAN LEACH OUT OF SOME PLASTICS.

BRUCE BLUMBERG OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE, STUDIES ONE SUCH CHEMICAL THAT TELLS THE BODY TO MAKE FAT CELLS.  HE FOUND THAT NOT ONLY DO MICE EXPOSED TO THIS CHEMICAL GAIN WEIGHT – THEIR FUTURE OFFSPRING BECOME OBESE, TOO.  SO ARE HUMANS AFFECTED THE SAME WAY?

BLUMBERG: THERE ARE ALMOST NO DATA THAT TELL US HOW MUCH THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS EXPOSED TO, (EDIT) AND DOES THE AMOUNT OF THE CHEMICAL HAVE ANY CONNECTION TO OBESITY?

WHILE RESEARCHERS LOOK FOR ANSWERS, BLUMBERG SAYS WE CAN MINIMIZE OUR EXPOSURES BY EATING MORE ORGANIC FOOD AND REDUCING OUR USE OF PLASTIC PACKAGING.

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Read more from the Boston Globe.

Download the research from The Endocrine Society.

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