Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH)
Obesity and the Environment
June 16, 2014Expert: Bruce Blumberg, Ph.D.
With obesity rates skyrocketing, some scientists are wondering whether there’s more to the story than simply too many calories. In this podcast, Dr. Bruce Blumberg highlights the latest research on how exposure to chemicals in the environment called “obesogens” could increase the risk for obesity.
Expert
Bruce Blumberg, Ph.D., is a professor of developmental and cell biology and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Blumberg and his colleagues originated the obesogen hypothesis, which holds that developmental exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can induce permanent physiological changes that increase the likelihood of becoming obese. His laboratory is broadly interested in the study of gene regulation and intercellular signaling during embryonic development and physiology. His research aims to shed light on gene-environment interactions and the developmental basis of health and disease.
For More Information
Obesity, Diabetes, and Other Metabolic Disorders
Learn what NIEHS is doing to investigate the environmental influences on obesity and diabetes.
Obesogens: An Environmental Link to Obesity
Read a summary of the state of the science on chemicals linked to obesity in this 2012 Environmental Health Perspectives article.
Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research
The Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research, published in 2011, serves as a guide to accelerate a broad spectrum of research toward developing new and more effective approaches to address the tremendous burden of obesity, so that people can look forward to healthier lives.
We want your feedback!
Send comments, questions, and suggestions for future podcast topics to podcast@niehs.nih.gov .
to Top