A study finds that people exposed to highly toxic chemicals in their diets and drinking water are more likely to become obese.
Obesity is usually linked to diet and lifestyle choices, but a new Danish study found that perfluorinated substances and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) may contribute to obesity, reports Al-Rai daily.
PFAS is considered a standard in the production of common household products, from nonstick pans and food packaging to fire extinguisher foam. The chemicals also seep into the water supply through waste runoff.
Many health problems have been linked to exposure to PFAS, including infertility, metabolic disorders, kidney disease, and certain types of cancer.
The international team of researchers focused on one chemical commonly found in contaminated drinking water, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which shows the strongest links with obesity.
The researchers, led by Dr. Philippe Grandjean, an ecologist at the University of Rhode Island, reported that people with the most PFOA in their blood gained about 11 pounds more than those with the lowest levels in one year.
The study authors wrote: “Raised plasma PFAS concentrations predicted weight gain after initial weight loss, despite the diet group to which participants were assigned. The findings suggest that PFOA and PFHxS, another type of PFAS, may cause weight gain among obese subjects in weight loss programmes.
The study authors analyzed more than 380 blood plasma samples that were already part of a European Commission randomized trial focused on obesity.
They recorded the presence of PFOA as well as perfluorohexansulfonic acid (PFHxS).
Participants in the study, which was published last week in the journal Obesity, came from eight European countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Participants were asked to stick to a diet of 800 calories per day to lose 8 percent of their body weight.
They were then randomly put into one of five diet groups, such as low-protein foods and high-glycemic index foods, for 26 weeks.
Regardless of what diet each participant was assigned to, they gained weight if they had elevated levels of PFAS in their blood.
“Our study adds new evidence that weight gain is not just related to lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. PFAS is increasingly suspected to be a contributing factor,” said Dr. Grandjean.
Thanks to their widespread use in manufacturing, most Americans are regularly exposed to PFAS. It is estimated that more than 200 million Americans drink drinking water contaminated with perfluorinated sulfonates.
Chemicals enter drinking water when products containing them are used or spilled on land or in lakes and rivers.
Once in groundwater, PFAS can travel long distances and contaminate drinking wells. PFAS in the air can also get into rivers and lakes, which are often used for drinking water.
Chemicals can be filtered out of drinking water using an activated carbon filter, which is easy to purchase at most retail stores and online marketplaces.