You’re doing your best to eat healthy foods and you’ve been sticking to your chosen exercise program, but the scale is barely budging at all. What’s going on here? It could be that despite your best efforts, you’re consuming substances that play a role in weight gain or obesity. These substances are hidden – and they’re not often discussed. Let’s take a close look at obesogens.
What are Obesogens?
Please bear with me for a few moments, as we’re about to dive deep into science. Perhaps you have heard of endocrine disruptors. These chemicals interfere with certain normal hormonal functions in the body. While not all endocrine disruptors lead to weight gain, many of them do. These are classified as obesogens.
While your habits surrounding diet and exercise make the greatest impact on your weight, studies have found that obesogens can play a role in weight gain and obesity. They do this in different ways. Some obesogens change the way fat cells work and/or develop; for example, they can increase the number of fat cells present in the body and/or increase the storage capacity of fat cells.
Some obesogens impact hormones that regulate feelings of satiety, so that you feel hungry when you shouldn’t. Some increase the body’s tendency to store fat when consuming a diet that’s high in sugar. Still others affect hormones that play a role in factors such as appetite, satiety, metabolism, and food preferences.
Many chemicals can be classified as obesogens. Some are linked to a greater tendency toward obesity in people who were exposed during fetal development, and some are connected to an overall predisposition toward weight gain when exposure occurs in later life. Some of the effects of obesogens can even be passed on to the next generation by modifying DNA, gene expression, and through epigenetic changes.
Common Obesogens and Where to Watch for Them
According to Jerry Heindel, leader of the extramural research program in obesity ant the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), there are between 15 and 20 known obesogens. That number is likely to increase as studies continue. For now, here’s a list of the most common.
- Cigarette smoke – Not only is this toxic brew proven to cause cancer, it is linked to obesity. This doesn’t make a lot of sense at first glance as many moms who smoke during pregnancy give birth to infants who are underweight. The babies, as it turns out, are often prone to weight gain later in life. Thankfully, the majority of today’s pregnant women steer clear of tobacco products. However, many women from previous generations did smoke during pregnancy. If your mother smoked while she was carrying you, then there’s a good likelihood that it’s partly behind your issues with weight gain.
- Chemical pesticides – We know pesticides are harmful to our bodies, our environment, and the birds, animals, and fish that share our world. We know that they are harmful to the pollinators that make our food supply possible. Yet leaders have failed to regulate these harmful substances out of existence. If you’re not diligent about avoiding foods that might be tainted with pesticides, you may reconsider knowing that these are endocrine disruptors that can wreak havoc on your body. Increasing your predisposition to weight gain is only one part of the big picture when it comes to these nasty substances.
- Pharmaceuticals – Some prescription drugs can contribute to weight gain. The list of drugs with weight gain as a side effect is long, and of course, the benefits of the drug often outweigh the side effects.
- Food additives – There are many reasons to avoid additives. Now you can add weight gain to the list. Here are a few common ones to watch out for:
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) – found in a wide range of packaged foods and seasonings
- Mono-oleoylglycerol (MOG) – used as an emulsifier in whipped toppings, shortenings, margarines, and frozen desserts including ice cream
- Sodium benzoate – A common preservative found in soda, salad dressings, jams, jellies, and fruit juices
- Sodium sulfate – a common preservative found in wine and other products
- Plastics – Plastic compounds including Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalates are often used in food packaging and storage containers as well as plastics used in food preparation.
- Antibiotics given to meat animals – Some farm animals are given antibiotics on a routine basis, both to promote weight gain and prevent disease. When we eat large quantities of meat from such animals, these antibiotics may also accumulate in our bodies and promote weight gain.
How to Avoid Obesogens
It may not be possible to avoid all obesogens since airborne toxins can be anywhere. But there are a few simple methods you can use to reduce your exposure to these chemicals.
- Filter your water. Many obesogens – particularly pesticides – make their way into the water supply. Install a water filtration system in your home or use a separate filtration system. I like the Berkey, as it is made with stainless steel and ceramic, with few plastic components.
- If you take prescription drugs, check to see whether weight gain is a known side effect. If it is, you may need to be more proactive with your diet and exercise plan. You may also wish to discuss alternatives with your health care provider.
- Clean up your diet as much as possible. Limiting processed foods in favor of whole, natural, organic foods is a very good way to cut additives out of your diet.
- Reconsider the way you use plastic. There’s a widespread movement toward reducing single-use plastic products due to the massive amount of pollution they cause in oceans and waterways. Check the plastics you use to see whether they are marked as BPA-free, and consider taking a moment to learn what the markings on the bottom mean – these are indicators of content, and you can find information about the symbols online.
- Swap plastic food storage containers for glass ones. I like to re-use big glass jars for storing leftovers, and they’re great for creating salad in a jar recipes, too.
- Choose metal or wood cooking utensils over plastic ones.
- Avoid drinking beverages that came packed in plastic containers. Bottled water, juices, and box wines are some to reconsider.
- Do not feed infants from plastic bottles or bottles with plastic liners. Be cautious when choosing pacifiers and toys that infants will place in their mouths.
- Check canned foods to ensure that liners are BPA-free.
- Soft, flexible plastics often contain phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors with a link to cancer.
- Be selective in your meat consumption. You may already know that you should avoid eating meat from animals raised with antibiotics other than those administered to treat illness, as there is a risk that you could develop antibiotic resistance that might prevent prescribed antibiotics from working if you need them. Now you have one more reason to choose meat products with care.
By identifying potential obesogens in your environment, food, and water, you may be able to help your body reach a lower weight faster. Avoiding endocrine disruptors is a very good way to improve your health overall, and to improve your family’s health as well. Changes may take a little effort on your part, but the rewards make it all worthwhile.
Donuts on the cover look delicious though lol