chemicals and obesity

(Newser) - Scientists have uncovered a toxic underside to weight loss: the breaking down of fat cells can release a flood of "pollutants" stored there. Fat stores trap certain toxins such as DDT and PCBs. When significant amounts of fat are broken down, these chemicals are released into the bloodstream, where...

(Newser) - Scientists have discovered an immune system pathway in the brain that they think is the root cause of diseases related to obesity, Reuters reports. When mice were overfed, the hypothalamus secreted a compound that suppressed the conversion of food into energy, and led to inflammation associated with heart disease and...

(Newser) - Early exposure to chemicals found in common plastics could predispose a person to obesity, scientists suggest. Studies have shown that animals fed the chemicals, called endocrine disrupters, are fatter later in life than those who were not, the Boston Globe reports. Diet, exercise, and genetics are key factors, but "...

(Newser) - Chemicals found in everything from baby bottles to cleaning agents might be triggering the obesity epidemic, causing fat cells to grow and multiply out of control. A Centers for Disease Control study suggests that exposure of mice to chemicals like tributyltin—used in fungicides and plastics—increases fat cells, which...