Is air pollution contributing to the obesity epidemic? New connections for further review
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Obesity is on the rise in almost every developed country around the world. Diet, physical exercise, genetics, disease, lifestyle choices, and environment have all been identified as contributing factors in the current obesity epidemic. While air pollution has strong links to other health problems, such as respiratory diseases and cancer, its relationship to obesity has yet to be fully explored. Significantly, animal and human studies show strong relationships between exposure to particulate matter in ambient air, an increase in adipose tissue, and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Other substances ubiquitous in the environment, known as "obesogens," have been shown to alter lipid metabolism and promote obesity. This review focuses on current research findings on the relationship between air pollutants and obesity and obesity-related diseases, outlines opportunities for further research, and highlights the role of the health professional in this intriguing and innovative field of study. 2013 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
