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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #258581
Title: Ten putative contributors to the obesity epidemic

Author
item MCALLISTER, EMILY - Louisiana State University
item DHURANDHAR, NIKHIL - Louisiana State University
item KEITH, SCOTT - Thomas Jefferson University
item ARONNE, LOUIS - Cornell University
item BARGER, JAMIE - University Of Wisconsin
item BASKIN, MONICA - University Of Alabama
item BENCA, RUTH - University Of Wisconsin
item BIGGIO, JOSEPH - University Of Alabama
item BOGGIANO, MARY - University Of Alabama
item EISENMANN, JOE - Michigan State University
item ELOBEID, MAI - University Of Alabama
item FONTAINE, KEVIN - Johns Hopkins University
item GLUCKMAN, PETER - University Of Auckland
item HANLON, ERIN - University Of Wisconsin
item KATZMARZYK, PETER - Louisiana State University
item PIETROBELLI, ANGELO - University Of Verona
item REDDEN, DAVID - University Of Verona
item RUDEN, DOUGLAS - Wayne State University
item WANG, CHENXI - University Of Louisville
item WATERLAND, ROBERT - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item WRIGHT, SUZANNE - Weill Medical College - Cornell
item ALLISON, DAVID - University Of Alabama

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2009
Publication Date: 12/2/2009
Citation: Mcallister, E.J., Dhurandhar, N.V., Keith, S.W., Aronne, L.J., Barger, J., Baskin, M., Benca, R.N., Biggio, J., Boggiano, M.M., Eisenmann, J.C., Elobeid, M., Fontaine, K.R., Gluckman, P., Hanlon, E.C., Katzmarzyk, P., Pietrobelli, A., Redden, D.T., Ruden, D.M., Wang, C., Waterland, R.A., Wright, S.M., Allison, D.B. 2009. Ten putative contributors to the obesity epidemic. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 49(10):868-913.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The obesity epidemic is a global issue and shows no signs of abating, while the cause of this epidemic remains unclear. Marketing practices of energy-dense foods and institutionally-driven declines in physical activity are the alleged perpetrators for the epidemic, despite a lack of solid evidence to demonstrate their causal role. While both may contribute to obesity, we call attention to their unquestioned dominance in program funding and public efforts to reduce obesity, and propose several alternative putative contributors that would benefit from equal consideration and attention. Evidence for microorganisms, epigenetics, increasing maternal age, greater fecundity among people with higher adiposity, assortative mating, sleep debt, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceutical iatrogenesis, reduction in variability of ambient temperatures, and intrauterine and intergenerational effects as contributing factors to the obesity epidemic are reviewed herein. While the evidence is strong for some contributors such as pharmaceutical-induced weight gain, it is still emerging for other reviewed factors. Considering the role of such putative etiological factors of obesity may lead to comprehensive, cause specific, and effective strategies for prevention and treatment of this global epidemic.