Hormonal
Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (obesogens) such as tributyltin, bisphenol A, and phthalates during in utero or neonatal development promotes adipogenesis and permanent increases in fat cell number, leading to obesity later in life.
Minimize exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, especially during pregnancy and early childhood. This includes avoiding plastics containing BPA, using glass or stainless steel for food storage, choosing fragrance-free personal care products (to avoid parabens/phthalates), and filtering drinking water. While diet and exercise remain important, reducing these specific chemical exposures may help prevent the permanent increase in fat cell numbers associated with obesity.
An especially sensitive time frame for exposure to obesogens has been found to be either prior to birth in utero or in the neonatal period... Current evidence suggests that adipocyte numbers are set by the end of childhood and that any increase in adipocyte numbers in early life tends to be permanent [51].
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing animal models and epidemiological studies, but notes that human biological availability of retained compounds is an 'unresolved aspect'.
Source
Endocrine Disruptors and Obesity
Philippa D. Darbre · Current Obesity Reports · 2017
DOI 10.1007/s13679-017-0240-4
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