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"We are faced with the seeming paradox of increased adiposity at both ends of the birth weight spectrum—higher BMI with higher birth weight and increased central obesity with lower birth weight" (Oken and Gillman, 2003). Thus prevention of childhood and adult obesity must start in utero.

Indeed, many synthetic chemicals are actually used to increase weight in animals.

This article provides fascinating examples of chemicals that have been tested for toxicity by standard tests that resulted in weight gain in the animals at lower doses than those that caused any obvious toxicity.

5. Should humans be concerned for their health based on evidence that fish, birds and alligators have been affected? Yes. All vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans) are fundamentally similar during early embryonic development. Scientists can therefore use the evidence acquired on other species to make predictions about endocrine disrupting effects on humans.

6. Is there direct evidence that humans are susceptible to endocrine disruption?

8. These days don't chemicals have to be safe to be allowed on the market? No.

Some Health Consequences of DES

Timeline of Synthetic Endocrine Disruptors (POPs)

Mechanisms of Endocrine Disruption

The sex steroids (testosterone, estrogen, etc.) contribute to, among other things, sexual differentiate of brain centers, and thereby, to the development of sexual identity and sexual behaviors

A rapidly increasing body of scientific research is revealing mechanisms of action, demonstrating impacts of disrupted development, and exploring links between intelligence, behavior and contamination experienced in the womb. What is emerging from this research is that brain and behavior are likely to be the most sensitive endpoints vulnerable to endocrine disruption. Many synthesized compounds in commercial use today, moreover, can derail neurological development.

April 2003. Exposure in the womb to extremely low levels of bisphenol A alters sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior in rats. More...

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment have been linked to human health and disease. This is particularly evident in compounds that mimic the effects of estrogens.

information recently uncovered, regarding mechanisms of endocrine and environmental signaling, to explore the role of the environment in health and disease.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of compounds that include over one hundred different contaminants

PAHs are persistent compounds. They are not easily broken down, so they can last for a long time. Also, they bioaccumulate—the higher up in the food chain you go, the higher the concentration of PAHs within the organism.

To be safe, there are several ways of reducing exposure to PAHs

“leading to neglect of other plausible mechanisms and well-intentioned but potentially ill-founded proposals for reducing obesity rates”

Since publication of that review, substantial evidence has emerged that increases the plausibility of one of the alternative mechanisms suggested by Keith et al: disruption of weight regulation by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment.

Concerns about the potential contribution of EDCs to childhood obesity build from two considerations, one out of human biology and the other from animal experiments

n addition to these issues, the prestigious international Endocrine Society published a seminal report last year stating that, “scientific research implies the impact of environmental substances in the generative roots of obesity.”

The only problem was that vinyl products generally contain significant amounts of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a plastic additive, exposure to which causes disruption of endocrine hormones

BPA in plastic baby bottles

What makes BPA such a problem? It affects everyone, but developing fetuses and small children are particularly vulnerable.