Minireview: The Case for Obesogens
Felix Grün, and Bruce Blumberg
Molecular Endocrinology
Volume 23 Issue 8 – August 1, 2009
Abstract
Obesity and obesity-related disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, are epidemic in Western countries, particularly the United States. The conventional wisdom holds that obesity is primarily the result of a positive energy balance, i.e. too many calories in and too few calories burned. Although it is self-evident that fat cannot be accumulated without a higher caloric intake than expenditure, recent research in a number of laboratories suggests the existence of chemicals that alter regulation of energy balance to favor weight gain and obesity. These obesogens derail the homeostatic mechanisms important for weight control, such that exposed individuals are predisposed to weight gain, despite normal diet and exercise. This review considers the evidence for obesogens, how they might act, and where future research is needed to clarify their relative contribution to the obesity epidemic.
Obesogens are chemicals that derail the body’s homeostatic weight control mechanisms, predisposing exposed individuals to weight gain despite normal diet and exercise.
Affiliations
Departments of Developmental and Cell Biology (B.B., F.G.) and Pharmaceutical Sciences (B.B.), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2300