Endocrine Disruptors and the Obesity Epidemic

The highlighted article brings together research on the site and mechanism of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have the potential to have a significant impact on human health and research on obesity, which is known to seriously affect human health. The effect of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the initiation or exacerbation of obesity, which may significantly alter the perception of the etiology of obesity and impact intervention and prevention efforts, is an important emerging area needing even further research emphasis. Obesity is a growing concern worldwide. The prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically in developed countries over the past 2 to 3 decades (Oken and Gillman, 2003). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States with more than 20% of adults defined as clinically obese and an additional 30% defined as overweight. In 1999, 13% of children aged 6–11 years and 14% of adolescents aged 12–19 years in the United States were overweight. This prevalence has nearly tripled for adolescents in the past two decades (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). Since overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults (80% if even one parent is obese or overweight) the prognosis for the future health of Americans is declining. In American society, the immediate consequence of being overweight is social discrimination, often causing poor self-esteem and depression. Overweight or obese adults, especially those with central or trunk adiposity, are also at risk for a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. Indeed, type 2 diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased dramatically in children and adolescents along with the increase in obesity.