Chemicals linked to diabetes and obesity.

• Position: Endocrinology - Endocrine-disrupting chemicals - Brief article

Chemicals that disrupt the body's hormone system also may be linked to two of the biggest public health threats facing society--diabetes and obesity, according to a recent statement coauthored by Andrea Gore, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Texas, Austin.

The executive summary was issued by the Endocrine Society, Washington, D.C. Gore serves as editor-in-chief of the society's journal, Endocrinology. The statement builds upon the group's 2009 report that examined scientific evidence on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the risks they pose to human health. The original study pointed to the connection between exposure to these chemicals and infertility, hormone-related cancers, and neurological issues. The recent statement expanded the potential threat from exposure to these chemicals to development of diabetes and obesity.

EDCs mimic, block, or otherwise interfere with the...