Woah! It’s time for some serious cleaning. Yes, the heading of the article says it all, that there is a possibility that weight gain is caused by household dust but how does this happen? And is it really true?
Researchers specifically found that dust contains a range of environmental pollutants called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. EDCs can disrupt your endocrine or hormone system (a system that’s responsible for bodily processes ranging from reproduction to immunity to neurological function). Some studies, however, have also suggested that EDC exposure early in life can cause weight gain later.
In a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers collected samples of dust from 11 homes. Extracts from seven of the 11 samples made the cells used for testing turn into fully grown fat cells and start accumulating triglycerides which is the most common type of fat in the body. What was even worse was that extracts from nine of the samples made those precursor cells divide, creating a stockpile of even more cells that could turn into mature fat cells.
They tested 44 chemicals commonly found in everyday dust and the worst felons were found to be the pesticide- pyraclostrobin, the flame retardant TBPDP, and the plasticizer DBP. Those three had the most crucial effects on fat production and also an exposure to a mix of them could be even worse. The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) estimates that children consume around 50 milligrams of dust every day, and the study found that even 3 micrograms was enough to have a measurable effect.
How to protect yourselves?
It is obvious that you need to keep your house clean. But what’s the better method of cleaning? Senior author Heather Stapleton tells Seeker that wet wiping and mopping is better than dry dusting, since the latter can actually increase your dust exposure. “We also recommend washing your hands frequently, particularly before you eat, to further reduce exposures to these chemicals.”
Products like pesticides, plastics, paint, furniture, electronics, meat, Soy & other foods, water, soil etc contain chemicals like dioxins, perfluorinated chemicals, phthalates and more which are endocrine disruptors. In the long run, though, it will probably take manufacturers removing EDCs from their products to really make a difference. You can also help through your choices at the store.
Reference: Curiosity.com
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