International Asklepios Congress On Medicine, Nursing, Midwıfery, and Health Sciences, Aydın, Turkey, 15 - 17 May 2024, pp.94
ABSTRACT
Obesity is an important public health issue that has reached pandemic proportions according to
epidemiological data. Positive energy balance, sedentary lifestyle, and overeating behaviour are risk
factors for obesity. Furthermore, recent studies revealed that there may be nontraditional risk factors in
the aetiology of obesity. In the scientific literature, an increasing number of chemical compounds
included in endocrine disruptors have been reported to be among these nontraditional risk factors and
are called obesogens. Currently, more than 50 chemical compounds have been reported as
environmental obesogens. Bisphenol A, phthalate derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls,
perfluoroalkyl substances, parabens, dioxins, organotin compounds, acrylamide, polybrominated
diphenyl ethers, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are examples of possible obesogenic compounds
associated with obesity. Endocrine disrupting chemicals function by targeting various endocrine axes
in the body. Exposure to endocrine disruptors at different doses and durations is associated with changes
in adipogenesis and adipocyte cell size, increase in adipose tissue size, adipocyte differentiation, body
weight increase, obesity-related adipose tissue dysfunction, and impaired glucose tolerance. Besides,
dysregulation of appetite and satiety signaling, disruption of energy metabolism, mimicking, or
interfering with the actions of natural lipophilic hormones, and triggering inflammation in various
organs and tissues were also shown to be mechanisms mediating the effects of endocrine disrupting
chemicals on obesity. It is estimated that there are still metabolic pathways that have not yet been
elucidated. Therefore, more comprehensive studies are needed on this topic. In this context, the aim of
this review is to examine the possible associations between endocrine disruptors and obesity.
Keywords: Chemical, Endocrine Disruptor, Metabolism, Obesity.