Agrochemicals and obesity

Highlights

• Positive associations exist between agrochemical exposures and adult obesity.

• Prenatal exposure to agrochemicals could lead to childhood obesity.

• Numerous possible mechanisms underlie the obesogenic effects of agrochemicals.

• Nuclear receptors likely mediate many obesogenic effects of agrochemicals.

• Epigenetics and the gut microbiome likely play key roles in the obesogenic effect of agrochemicals.

Abstract

Obesity has become a very large concern worldwide, reaching pandemic proportions over the past several decades. Lifestyle factors, such as excess caloric intake and decreased physical activity, together with genetic predispositions, are well-known factors related to obesity. There is accumulating evidence suggesting that exposure to some environmental chemicals during critical windows of development may contribute to the rapid increase in the incidence of obesity. Agrochemicals are a class of chemicals extensively used in agriculture, which have been widely detected in human. There is now considerable evidence linking human exposure to agrochemicals with obesity. This review summarizes human epidemiological evidence and experimental animal studies supporting the association between agrochemical exposure and obesity and outlines possible mechanistic underpinnings for this link.