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M6.7 Blog: Obesogens

M6.7 Blog: Obesogens


  • Some of the locally grown produce that is available in California in early October include: apples, artichokes, arugula, asian pears, avocados, basil, beets, bok choy, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts. As you can see, there is a lot of produce. There is an alphabetical list located here: https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org. As one pediatrician was quoted, "serving healthy and sustainably grown food is as essential to the health of our community as the medical care we provide." It seems like there is a plethora of produce being produced during any given season, thus I think it is very smart that hospitals utilize seasonal local foods that are available. This will lead to economic benefits for the community as well as health benefits for the patients. A harvest calendar for California can be found here: http://www.pickyourown.org/CAharvestcalendar.htm#northerncal. 
  • The second article takes an environmental look at obesity. It suggests that chemical “obesogens” are contributing to the obesity epidemic. This includes dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds that can affect metabolic processes and predispose some people to gain weight. I had not heard of obesogens before, but it is scary that chemicals in our environment could contribute to obesity epidemic! One chemical pesticide found in food and water is atrazine. This has been shown to  increase BMI in children and insulin resistance in rodents. Toxnet lists atrazine as a contributor to mammary tumors, hormonal, and reproductive complications.

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