The Obesogen Effect: Why We Eat Less and Exercise More but Still Struggle to Lose Weight

An eye-opening account of the landmark research into the hidden chemicals that are endangering our health and keeping us fat.

Being overweight is not just the result of too many cheeseburgers or not enough exercise. According to leading-edge science, a new group of silent saboteurs in our daily lives is contributing greatly to our obesity epidemic: obesogens. These weight-inducing offenders, most of which are chemicals, disrupt our hormonal systems, altering how we create and store fat, and changing how we respond to dietary choices and caloric intake. Because they are largely unregulated, obesogens lurk all around us-in food, furniture, plastic products such as water bottles and food storage containers, and other surprising exposure points. Even worse: research has shown that the effects of some obesogens can be passed on to future generations by irreversibly interfering with the expression of our genes. The good news is we can protect ourselves by becoming more informed consumers.

In The Obesogen Effect, Dr. Bruce Blumberg explains how obesogens work, where they are found, and how we can minimize their effects. Dr. Blumberg offers a highly practical three-step solution for reducing exposures. He explains why one size does not fit all in a weight loss program, what harmful additives are in our household goods, and how we should shop for obesogen-free items we use every day-from vegetables and meats to canned soup as well as household cleaners, air fresheners, and personal care products. The Obesogen Effect, is an urgent call to action to protect your body, clean up your life, and set a straight course for better health.

Bruce Blumberg, PhD, has been conducting pioneering research in endocrinology and developmental biology for more than thirty years. He is professor in the Departments of Developmental and Cell Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). At UCI, his laboratory studies the biology of nuclear hormone receptors in development, physiology, and disease with a particular emphasis on how these are affected by hormonally active compounds in the diet and environment. In 2012, he was elected as a fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science.