You love fast food, drink soda, and move about town in your SUV that’s as fat as you are. It’s probably your fault you’re fat.
But you’re not the only one whose waistline is expanding. Obesity is on the rise globally, even where SUVs are a luxury few possess. A pair of new studies suggest factors other than bad eating habits may be contributing to the obesity pandemic.
The first study created an indicator cell to test whether chemicals bond to a receptor that controls how cells use and store energy. Researchers then exposed the test cell to common chemicals known to be endocrine disruptors, including two types of pthalates, dioxin and BPA. Two bound to the receptor, suggesting that they could cause obesity. The guilty parties? Benzyl butyl phthalate and BPA.
A second study, conducted by researchers at Rady Children’s Hospital and UCSD, found a correlation between obesity and a common type of virus. A study of 124 children found that among those who had been exposed to the virus, adenovirus 36, nearly 80 percent were obese. Among obese children, those who tested positive for the virus weighed an average of 35 pounds more than those who tested negative.
Takeaway: Exercise and eating well are still your best bets, but avoiding endocrine disruptors is also a good idea. And maybe, just maybe, there will be a vaccine one day to help you stay trim.