Endocrine disruptors in foods : overlooked factors contributing to the prevalence of obesity

Abstract

Endocrine disruptors, also known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, could mimic or interfere with the body's hormones. Indeed, naturally occurring endocrine disruptors have been widely identified in daily foods. Moreover, industrialisation has resulted in increasing synthetic endocrine disruptors being produced and used as food additives or in food package materials, which makes exposure to endocrine disruptors become more common. Although the safety of synthetic chemicals has been extensively evaluated before entering into the food industry, increasing evidence has also highlighted that long-lasting exposure might influence long-term metabolic outcomes and be associated with the prevalence of obesity. Therefore, this review summarised the sources, detection methods, obesogenic effects and possible mechanisms of endocrine disruptors commonly found in foods, as well as discussed possible underlying mechanisms by which endocrine disruptors contribute to the increased risk of obesity. In conclusion, the review may provide useful information for understanding the association between endocrine disruptors and obesity, which could provide a new angle of view for preventing obesity prevalence.