Prenatal exposure to pollution a culprit in obesity

According to new research a determining factor as to whether a child is fat or not may be decided before they have even been born.

A new study has found that pollution and exposure to a variety of common chemicals before birth contributes to the risk of a baby growing up overweight or obese.

The scientists from Barcelona's Municipal Institute of Medical Research say their study is the first to link obesity with chemical contamination in the womb, when humans are most vulnerable.

For their study the researchers measured the levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the umbilical cords of 482 children born on the Spanish island of Menorca from mid 1997, along with weight and height which were measured again at 6.5 years.

HCB is a pesticide which is banned internationally but it continues to remain in the environment and can sometimes be found in food.

The researchers found that those with the highest levels of HCB were twice as likely to be obese when they reached the age of six and a half and are calling for exposure to similar pesticides to be minimised, including bisphenol A (BPA), used in baby bottles and cans of food, and phthalates, found in cosmetics and shampoos.

Research testing has apparently revealed that BPA is found in 95 per cent of Americans, while 90 per cent have been found to be exposed to phthalates in the womb.

Experts say this is a very important study of the effects on the foetus and the conclusions are not surprising.

The scientists say prenatal exposure to HCB is linked to an increase in BMI and weight at age 6.5 years but more research is needed with larger groups to confirm the results.

The research is published in the current issue of the journal Acta Paediatrica.