Finally, some evidence for environment-driven obesity.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

This is fascinating. It could help answer the question of why so many more folks are obese today than historically (apart from the usual suspects of easier lifestyle, processed foods, etc.).

More Evidence Chemicals Linked to Obesity and Diabetes, Group Says - NBC News

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

All of that stuff is really difficult to stay away from. It's scary to think about.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

All of that stuff is really difficult to stay away from. It's scary to think about.

Exactly!

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I think the best thing people can do is to avoid processed foods as much as possible. Meals in a box, fast food, etc., have ingredients which cannot be helping. So MANY processed foods have added sugar, flour, and other filler starches, which can raise blood sugar and insulin levels, which ultimately can contribute to chronically high circulating insulin levels, insulin resistance, and eventually, type 2 diabetes. People who have chronically high circulating insulin levels find it pretty much impossible to lose weight.

Sticking to whole foods as much as possible, eating at home with ingredients entirely of your own choosing and control, making your own dishes like tuna salads and chicken salads instead of buying the stores' prepared ones, which usually have sugar or honey in them, using whole grains and oats instead of ultra processed ones, etc., can possibly minimize the impact of all the chemicals and unnecessary junk which is just thrown into processed foods. Look at prepared salad dressings, peanut butter, and pasta sauces. You have to look closely at ingredients to find pasta sauces without added sugar, and it's almost impossible to find salad dressing and peanut butter without it.

On another forum I read, someone spoke about going to a Chili's restaurant and choosing chicken fajitas, thinking it was a safe choice. When she got home, she looked it up, and saw that the chicken was prepared with a "smoke flavor." This smoke flavor had about a page of chemical ingredients!

I once read "if your great grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it." There may be some truth to that.

As far as some of these other environmental exposures, don't know how you avoid a lot of them.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

I can't go to Chessecake Factory anymore after looking at their nutritional values. Or lack thereof.