CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Company) aired a documentary earlier this year that discussed the puzzling results of scientists researching endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Their original projects were not about fat, but their lab animals turned out to be unusually heavy after being exposed to these chemicals. The documentary can be accessed here. You can have a sneak-peek by viewing the trailer below.
We know that fat tissue acts like an endocrine organ. Since endocrine-disrupting chemicals include a wide variety of substances it is difficult to generalize mechanisms of actions. The Endocrine Society gives the following broad definition (Diamanti-Kandarakis et al, 2009):
"An endocrine-disrupting substance is a compound, either natural or synthetic, which through environmental or inappropriate developmental exposures alters the hormonal and homeostatic systems that enable the organism to communicate with and respond to its environment."
In general though, it is thought that obesogens mimic hormones, which can increase the size of fat cells, increase the number of fat cells or negatively affect appetite, metabolism, and/or food preferences (Holtcamp, 2012). Much of the evidence to date has been from animal studies, but there are many epidemiological studies linking exposures of 15-20 chemicals during fetal and infant development to infant and child weight status (Holtcamp, 2012). Take for instance, smoking during pregnancy - there is fairly persuasive epidemiological evidence linking this to obesity in children (Oken et al, 2008). There is also some evidence for an effect of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on adult weight status; however this is a burgeoning area of research that is need of more studies (Tang-Péronard et al, 2011).
Obesogens (those in addition to the byproducts of smoking) are found everywhere - in industrial solvents/s and their byproducts (PCBs), plastics (BPA), plasticizers (phthalates) in PVC, organotins, pesticides (atrazine, DDE), surfactants used to reduce friction (PFOA), and pharmaceutical agents (DES) (Diamanti-Kandarakis et al, 2009)(Holtcamp, 2012). We are exposed to these chemicals by drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated food, breathing contaminated air, or coming into contact with contaminated soil. In industrial areas, chemicals can leach into the soil and contaminate the ground water, and may bio accumulate in both humans and animals. The web of contamination is so complex that areas considered "prestine"and remote from the original site that produced the chemical, have been found with levels of the chemical (Diamanti-Kandarakis et al, 2009). Many of these obesogens are also found in items we may or may not use every day. Examples include: medical devices, some canned foods, cash register receipts, designer handbags, items made of Gore-tex(TM), wallpaper, vinyl blinds, tile, and vacuum cleaner dust, air fresheners, laundry products, personal care products, items with Scotchgard(TM) (e.g. carpets, furniture, and mattresses), non-stick cook-ware, and microwaveable food items. There are also potential dietary obesogens including phytoestrogens (soy) (Diamanti-Kandarakis et al, 2009) and MSG (monosodium glutamate) (Holtcamp, 2012).