Pollution Is A Slow Poison That Can Make You Fat

74859 Pollution is one of the biggest and most dangerous problems that the world is facing today. It is not only destroying the planet but is also having an adverse affect on the health of human beings. A research that appeared in the journal Environmental Pollution reveals an association between obesity and the presence of certain pollutants in the environment.

Conducted by the researchers from Spain’s University of Granada, the study reveals that subjects who present higher levels of persistent organic pollutants in their organism also suffer from higher cholesterol and triglycerides levels, irrespective of the gender, age, and place of residence or smoking habits of participants.

In nearly 300 people, the study noted the levels of pollutants deposited in fat. These are known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). According to researchers, these pollutants remain non-degradable even for a period of 10 years.

Juan Pedro Arrebola, the main researcher of the study, asserted that humans are exposed to POPs by the food that he/she consumes. The research also provide an insight on how humans gain weight over a period of time.

The researchers observed that people with higher levels of POPs were quantitatively more obese. They also had higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. These factors put one at a higher risk of developing heart diseases.

As per the study, human exposure to chemical substance known as «obesogenic» increases growth and proliferation of adipocytes (fat cells). This ultimately results in increasing body fat, and this increases the risk of developing cardiovascular ailments.

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