A Spanish study is here to state that the level of pollution in the atmosphere can determine the weight and size of the baby much before he or she is born. Scientists explain that exposure to a range of chemicals in the womb, that is, before birth, can provoke the baby to become fat, overweight and obese in the near future.
Scientists from the Barcelona Municipal Institute of Medical Research are first to discover this link between obesity and chemical contamination of the baby in the womb. It is reported that a disturbing quarter of the British adults suffer from obesity and as many as one fifth of the kids also do not escape the flab.
The study measured the hexachlorobenzene (HCB) levels in the umbilical cords of about 403 children in Menorca (Spanish Island). HCB is basically a pesticide banned on a global level but that which still exists in the environment and certain foods at large.
Scientists revealed that those exposed to high levels of HCB were twice as more likely to become fat or obese when they turned 6 and half years old. Disturbing ain’t it?
Though researchers haven’t found a way to undo or limit the emission and exposure of the baby to chemical in the womb, they have promptly voiced the need to minimize the use of pesticides such as bisphenol A (BPA) which is contained in baby bottles and food cans also chemicals such as phthalates which is more common in shampoos and cosmetics.
Recurring tests have also shown that about 95% of the American populace is exposed to BPA and about 90% are exposed to phthalates in the womb.
Why are people getting fat?
Listed below are some factors that have been cited as potential factors of obesity:
- It is suggested that kids born to smokers generally become fat. In addition, both underweight and overweight babies are more vulnerable to gaining weight during their growing years.
- Experts also suggest that chances of becoming fat increases with maternal age (average age of women giving birth to their first born has increased by 2.6% ever since 1970 in Britain)
- Studies also suggest that more calories are burned during cold weathers than comfortable warm temperatures people normally prefer
- Another potential cause of obesity is prescribed drugs such as anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and medicines for diabetes, etc
- Scientists also suggest that mothers-to-be exposed to smoking habits put their unborn kids at the risk of developing weight problems such as obesity
Scientists such as Dr Pete Myers from the US-based Environmental Health Sciences are of the opinion that the results of the study have been important in revealing the impact of pregnancy on the life of the fetus.
More importantly it raises more issues as to why the world is getting fat and fatter day by day? The results are as sad as the question is, with a British report suggesting that obesity in Britain had quadrupled ever since 1980.
