5 Surprising Culprits Behind Obesity and Weight Gain
There is no doubt that the western diet holds most of the weight regarding the escalating obesity epidemic we are facing today. Ingesting overly large portions of foods containing fat-promoting ingredients coupled with an inactive lifestyle is the perfect recipe for a gigantic disaster. While these obesity contributors are widely known, there are actually some other very surprising factors to consider when analyzing the reason for the nation’s continued growth.
1. Antibiotics Could be to Blame for Excess Weight
As surprising as it may seem, antibiotics have actually be pinpointed as being a promoter for obesity as well as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. While antibiotics succeed in destroying bad bacteria, which is their intended use, they also destroy good bacteria in the gut known as friendly flora. This lack of bacterial discrimination leads to a shortage in friendly gut bacteria which are responsible for regulating overall health, including weight management.
2. Pollution has been Connected with Weight Gain
Not many people would point their finger at pollution when searching for a cause for obesity. And while poor air quality certainly isn’t a primary reason for extra weight, it does indeed have a link to extra weight. Research has shown that ingesting toxic chemicals found in both food and the air leads to increased fat storage in babies. A defense mechanism is triggered in unborn babies when mother’s take in these toxic chemicals which is supposed to protect the baby. It just so happens that this defense mechanism is the formation of fat.
3-5. Shampoo, Plastic, and Pesticides
There is growing concern regarding various chemicals used in products today and their impact on our health. Chemicals like bisphenol-A, phthalates, PCB’s, POP’s, and pesticides, which are all endocrine disruptors,  have been tied to many health ailments such as infertility, asthma, diabetes, and obesity. Paula Baillie-Hamilton, an expert on metabolism and environmental toxins at Stirling University in Scotland, was one of the first to point out the connection between environmental toxins and obesity. She noted that:
Overlooked in the obesity debate is that the earth’s environment has changed significantly during the last few decades because of the exponential production and usage of synthetic organic and inorganic chemicals
Environmental toxins are lesser known evils when it comes to health complications, but it may be time people started seriously considering these toxins when evaluating their health.
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Could you please refute Gary Taubes the author of calories in calories out and his second installment why we get fat. No one seems to be talking about it, that the main source of all our problems stem from high carbohydrate intake. Alpha glycerol phosphate causes fatty acids to bind into triglycerides inside the fat cells, and alpha glycerol phosphate is created by glucose in the blood. Yes it looks like Atkins but in fact the difference is that Taubes resorts to going after the data, the studies that have been done proving this to be a fact and the history. The original data on the high fat moderate protein diet originates in Germany before WWII and after the war is discarded by the victors. There's an elephant in the room, and going by the list of articles I've seen on your site, your writers and editors seem to be unaware of it.
Get off anything WHITE….and DAIRY…and you will live longer, feel more AWAKE…and more… Oh, and, be sure to 'under-eat'….for longevity…
The only thing wrong with dairy is what people have done with it. Drink & eat it fresh & raw and it is delicious and nutritious and full of health!
Eating real whole foods is a great way to be healthy.
True, for centuries, we have eaten dairy-but it was coupled with less stress, better sleep, more clean, hard work and clean milk devoid of chemicals….
Did Dan ever provide any "original data"? Would be most keen to see the evidence there.
What about the Bovine Growth Hormone being injected into the cows and chicken to make them plump up? To me there's the obvious culprit!
What about contact with cleaning products and cosmetics? Could preservatives such as parabens and petroleum-derived substances such as mineral oil in skincare products also contribute to obesity?