Prenatal Pesticide Exposure Linked to Future Obesity

A new study shows for the first time that the higher the exposure of a mother to the pesticide DDE¹ the more likely she is to have a child who later becomes obese.  DDE is a breakdown product of the now banned and formerly widely used DDT, an estrogen-mimetic fat-soluble toxin, The last time the government checked broad exposure of this toxin in Americans was in the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey (NHATS), which found 93% of fat samples from across the country were contaminated with DDE at high levels. 

DDE continues to be a major pollution problem and bio-accumulates in the food chain, especially in fish.  In this study of Michigan-area fish eaters.  213 daughters (age 20-50) were evaluated based on the mother’s level of DDE at her time of pregnancy.  The study found that those mothers with the highest DDE levels had children who were on average more than 20 pounds overweight.  Those mothers with the next highest level of DDE exposure were on average likely to have children 13 pounds overweight.

“These findings not only apply to the offspring of women in our cohort but to any woman who has been exposed to high levels of DDE when she was growing in her mother’s womb,” said Janet Osuch, a professor of surgery and epidemiology at MSU’s College of Human Medicine. “Mothers with the highest DDE levels are women who have consumed a lot of fish or high-fat meats.”

Several points are important.  Pregnant women should be getting their DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. essential fatty acids primarily from highly purified DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. fish oil, which has been specially distilled to remove mercury, PCBs, and DDE.

DDE, like many environmental fat-soluble toxins has estrogenic activities.  These toxins accumulate in fat, damage stored fat metabolism, and disrupt endocrine function.  This is clear proof of long term harm for metabolism.

Women and men struggling to get past a weight loss plateau are often dealing with a toxic layer of stored fat and/or malfunctioning detoxification systems in the first place (a common reason why people don’t lose weight by simply eating less food).

Nutrients like chlorella, milk thistle, and R-alpha lipoic acid, which help to clear these fat-soluble toxins can help you lose weight safely and in many cases may be able to help you break through a plateau – especially if that plateau is the last 5-10 pounds you can never get rid of. 

Your body will not give up too much toxic fat unless you have a way to get rid of it – otherwise you will simply poison yourself trying.  Storing such excess toxicity is a self defense mechanism in the first place, which in my opinion is a prime way that toxins help encourage weight gain (your body is trying to get them away from your heart, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs).  Stuffing them into stored fat is partly a system of protection.