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Does Pollution Exacerbate Obesity Risks? A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Smith Kelsey,
Qu Weidong,
Ren Xuefeng,
Wang Youfa
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.736.34
Subject(s) - environmental health , hexachlorobenzene , obesity , pollutant , medicine , odds ratio , cohort study , endocrinology , biology , ecology
Objectives: Environmental pollutants may have contributed to the global obesity epidemic. We examined associations between chemical pollutants and obesity in human subjects and related mechanisms, and provided recommendations for future research and interventions. Methods: Systematic review of relevant human subject studies published since 1995 by searching PubMed and MEDLINE®. Results: We identified 24 articles (including cross‐sectional, case‐control,cohort studies) and reported on associations between pollutants and obesity: 20 studies found positive associations between obesity and chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), hexachlorobenzene, dieldrin, chlordane, bisphenol A (BPA), arsenic, and hexachlorocyclohexane. The rest found inverse or null association between obesity and the chemicals. Some studies reported positive associations with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1‐3, while some reported reverse associations of OR=0.38 (0.16,0.91). Certain chemicals, such as BPA, were more likely to have high ORs; where as highly chlorinated PCBs were more likely to have negative ORs. Effects of chemicals on the endocrine system and obesity varied by substance, exposure level, measure of adiposity, and subject characteristics (eg, sex, age). Conclusions Accumulated evidences show positive associations between pollutants and obesity. Additional, large, long‐term, follow‐up cohort studies are needed to assess impacts of chemical pollutants on obesity risk and the mechanisms.