Film review - Programmed to be Fat

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It could take a long time for these findings about obesogens to affect how these chemicals are regulated for human safety and for obesity prevention. So far, much of the research  linking chemicals and obesity is from animal studies, although the film points out two studies in progress on humans: Maternal Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC), a Canadian study on environmental chemicals of pregnant women and their affect on their children; and OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life (OBELIX), a study being conducted in Europe.

Why does this matter, especially to women?

If pregnant women’s exposure to common chemicals is predisposing our children to obesity, the onus is on women to protect ourselves. The scenario sounds impractical: stop eating anything that comes from a can, stop handling store receipts and avoid plastic objects that might contain BPA. Clearly, this would be a losing battle for the vast majority of us. Chemical exposure is something we need to deal with not just on an individual level but on a societal level as well. It is clear from the growing number of research studies   on endocrine disruptors, that changes are called for in how we deal with chemicals. Programmed to be Fat ends with a plea for the precautionary principle. Chemical manufacturers should to be required to conclusively demonstrate to regulators that their products “First, do no harm” before they are allowed into our lives. And chemical regulators—our governments—need to change how they regulate chemicals.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be having a huge impact on women in other ways that are also related to obesity. The film did not discuss early puberty, but other researchers have shown links between chemicals and early puberty in girls, as related to the development of obesity, and diabetes. Sandra Steingraber’s paper The falling age of puberty in U.S. girls: What we know, what we need to know is an excellent introduction to this complex issue.

Programmed to be Fat brings an important (and growing) body of evidence into the public eye, and provides yet another reason to closely scrutinize and carefully regulate all chemicals before they are released into our midst.

Let’s hope the regulators are paying attention.

Find out more about the film and watch Programmed to be Fat online.

To learn more about the issue of obesity and its impact on women, including the role of endocrine-disruptors, see our new primer when it is released in 2012.

Learn about women and chemicals and the management of chemicals in our country in Sex, Gender and Chemicals: Factoring Women into Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan, produced by the National Network of Environments and Women’s Health.

For a simple explanation of endocrine disruption, see www.nnewh.org.

Alex Merrill is a writer who has worked with the Canadian Women's Health Network for many years.