title: Obesogens and obesity--an alternative view?
abstract: It is accepted that diet is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic, but environmental 'obesogenic' chemicals have also been suggested recently as playing a role, based on in vitro, animal and epidemiological studies. Using two such 'obesogen' examples (bisphenol A, certain phthalate esters), we argue that their association with obesity and obesity-related disorders in humans could be circumstantial, and thus non-causal, because a Western style diet increases exposure to these compounds. This possibility needs to be addressed before further (confounded) epidemiological studies on 'obesogens' are undertaken.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. r.sharpe@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Drake
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D015995:Prevalence; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; C032279:phthalic acid; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds