Hormonal
Prenatal exposure to the organochlorine pesticide DDT and its metabolite DDE increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (including obesity, insulin resistance, and hypertension) in offspring, primarily through epigenetic programming of energy expenditure and hypothalamic development rather than increased caloric intake.
If you have a family history of metabolic syndrome, consider that your risk may be influenced by environmental exposures your mother encountered during pregnancy, not just your current diet. While you cannot change your prenatal history, being aware of this risk factor allows for earlier screening and more aggressive management of blood pressure and glucose levels, as your body may be predisposed to store fat and resist insulin due to early-life programming.
Prenatal exposure to DDT chronically increased systolic BP in these mice... Meta-analysis of experimental evidence indicated that DDT and DDE increased adiposity while impairing thermogenesis and lipid dynamics... These findings suggest that prenatal exposure to DDT reduces heat production, alters carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism thus rendering adult female offspring more likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple meta-analyses of human epidemiological data and consistent findings in controlled animal models.
Source
Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Diseases: From the Bench to the Clinic
Donna L. Mendrick et al. · Toxicological Sciences · 2017
DOI 10.1093/toxsci/kfx233
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