Project Details
Description
Obesity has increased substantially in the past two decades. Improper nutrition and inactivity, together with genetic predisposition, are known to be important causal factors, but cannot entirely account for these trends. Increasing evidence suggests that developmental exposure to environmental pollutants with hormonal activity, whose production and use has increased simultaneously with the rise in these condi¬tions, may play a role.
Studies have suggested that dietary exposure to low doses of endocrine disrupting chemicals EDCs in early periods of vulnerability may increase the risk of obesity in adult life. Also, most EDCs accumulate in fat tissue, which is of great concern since it is now known that body fat is not merely a depot for storage of triglycerides, but an endocrine gland crucially involved in energy regulation. Therefore it is plausible, even likely, that EDC accumulation in adipose tissue could disrupt such functions as fat storage, fat distribution, and appetite signalling.
We plan to study early markers of the metabolic syndrome in relation to the body burden of chemicals in four longitudinal cohorts in whom we have longitudinal measures of growth and metabolism during various stages of development. In addition we test relevant mixtures of chemicals in cellular models of interest for obesity development.
Studies have suggested that dietary exposure to low doses of endocrine disrupting chemicals EDCs in early periods of vulnerability may increase the risk of obesity in adult life. Also, most EDCs accumulate in fat tissue, which is of great concern since it is now known that body fat is not merely a depot for storage of triglycerides, but an endocrine gland crucially involved in energy regulation. Therefore it is plausible, even likely, that EDC accumulation in adipose tissue could disrupt such functions as fat storage, fat distribution, and appetite signalling.
We plan to study early markers of the metabolic syndrome in relation to the body burden of chemicals in four longitudinal cohorts in whom we have longitudinal measures of growth and metabolism during various stages of development. In addition we test relevant mixtures of chemicals in cellular models of interest for obesity development.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 01/01/2009 → 31/12/2013 |
Collaborative partners
- Technical University of Denmark (lead)
- University of Rochester (Project partner)
- University of Southern Denmark (Project partner)
- Faroese Hospital System (Project partner)
- University of Copenhagen (Project partner)
- University of Missouri (Project partner)
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