M3.2 Vulnerable Populations
M3.2 Vulnerable Populations
We continue to focus on sedentary lifestyles and diet because exposure to chemicals alone has not been proven to directly cause obesity. Research is still being conducted on these harmful environmental chemicals named “obesogens.” These chemicals, derived from substances like DDT, have only been proven to increase one’s risk of being obese. “-it is difficult to tease out whether other factors that coincide with environmental exposure, such as socioeconomic stressors, may be the actual cause” (Klocke, 2019). Without data to highlight the severity of impact obesogens have on our society, it is hard to find support for exposure reduction programs. There are also thousands of chemicals that could potentially wreak havoc on an individual’s metabolism making it very hard to pin-point which has a greater impact. Research is very costly, so public health organizations would have to come up with precise strategies that target chemicals who in larger concentrations- clearly cause hormonal changes relating to obesity.
References
Klocke, C. (2019, January 18). Are environmental chemicals contributing to the obesity epidemic? Retrieved from https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/environmental-chemicals-obesity-epidemic/54987/
That is a really interesting thought, but do you think even with the right research people would listen? Think about how many decades and large scale research projects needed to be run to show the direct correlation with smoking and lung cancer. How would this information be likely to be effectively disseminated?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Aubrey. I think the medical community focuses on the causes of obesity that are easier to address than causes that take more time, resources, etc.
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