M3.2 Vulnerable Populations

Why are we still ONLY focused on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US?  Why are we not also looking at ways to decrease exposures to those chemicals that may be contributing to the epidemic?

I believe part of the reason we do not look for ways to decrease exposures to chemicals that contribute to obesity is because so many people do not know that they are being exposed. As a consumer, I know to look for products that say "BPA Free" on them when I shop for water bottles or containers, but I never knew specifically why. I think most people know that BPA is a chemical we should avoid and have some knowledge that it may cause birth defects. I did not realize that these chemicals could also contribute to weight gain. 

The EWG article by Monica Amarelo states that 16,000 foods in the U.S are packaged with BPA. We live in world where we rely on packed food constantly. To think that thousands of foods are lined with a chemical that is an endocrine disruptor that results in damage to the brain and reproductive system, and contributes to weight gain is beyond belief. As a I believe that there needs to be more widely spread education on the damage and correlation such chemicals have and contribute to the overall health of our nation. As knowledge of the harm increases, there will be more pressure on companies and the government to regulate these products. Although I am not surprised that these chemicals are not regulated in the food industry. It is odd to me that harmful chemicals in our everyday cosmetic and household products, as well as food products, have little or no regulation on a legislative level. 

As a public health professional, it is our duty to address these issues and tackle them with laws and regulations to ban them from products so easily accessible and widely used by the people of our nation.