Prenatal exposure is a by-product of DDT pesticide which can raise the body mass index (BMI) of a baby within 14 months of birth. This is the result of a research study done by Spanish researchers in Barcelona. The details of their research are published in the October 2010 online edition of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).
How Prenatal Exposure to Pesticides and Obesity are Linked?
The chemical DDE is a by-product of DDT pesticide. It is an endocrine disruptor. A substance is called so when it affects the production, functioning and elimination of hormones. These are the signalling molecules which either initiate or end vital chemical reactions of the body.
The research found that when mothers had relatively high levels of this chemical in their blood, it increased the chances of the babies growing rapidly in the first six months of their birth. Rise in BMI was seen in 14 months.
The data was collected from 518 Spanish women in their first trimester of pregnancy. Babies of mothers with 75 percent of exposure were likely to grow faster by two times. With 50 percent of the exposure in them, pregnant mothers raised the chances of high BMI in their babies within first 14 months by three times. However, no link between DDE exposure and weight of babies of overweight mothers before pregnancy was found.
Implications of the Research on Prenatal Exposure to Pesticides and Obesity:
More than 40 studies have related rapid weight gain after birth with obesity and its associated complications in later life. Foods like meats, dairy products, fish, fruits and vegetables are the sources which expose pregnant women to pesticides. Unfortunately, these chemicals stay longer in the environment owing to their ability to resist degradation.
The present research study suggests that the endocrine disrupting properties of pesticide exposure change the regulation of appetite in the body. It causes metabolic changes promoting obesity.
