Putting the Grease on Obesity

In this rough economic climate, no business or service appears immune from downward trends – not even organic foods.

One would like to think that if nothing else, the promotion of one’s health would be immune from economic recession. But the purchase of organic foods has slowed significantly after years of double-digit growth. Prognostications on whether or not organics will continue to thrive are somewhat pessimistic, most expecting single digit growth in the near future.
To buoy any business or service out of the doldrums of an economic slump, consumers need an incentive to buy. Unfortunately, the traditional incentives for buying organic (i.e. better taste, better for the environment, better nutrition, etc.) aren’t working quite like they used to.

Well, how about this one: not doing so could make you fat.

Non-organic vegetables are known to be grown with the “help” of chemicals that deplete the soil of its vibrancy, not to mention the nutritional vibrancy of the vegetable itself. But researchers from Japan have recently discovered that a chemical commonly found in pesticides may contribute to the body’s inclination to store excess fat. They believe that the prevalence of obesity in the world today could be tied to this ubiquitous chemical.

The chemical is called tributyltin, and besides its use in pesticides, it’s also found in various paints, woods and textiles for use as a preservative. It’s believed to be so harmful, in fact, that 120 countries have agreed to add it to its trade “watch list” due to the havoc it’s wreaked on aquatic life for fishermen and fish alike.

As one might suspect, the risks tributyltin poses to humans isn’t any less, particularly if one has a history of obesity in the family. That’s because tributyltin attaches to genes in the body – called Retinoid X receptors – turning them on and amplifying the body’s inclination to store fat cells rather than burn them. The researchers from the Graduate University for Advanced Research in Japan discovered this after newborn rats exposed to the pesticide actually added excess fatty tissue to their slight frames.

Additional research on tributyltin’s effects on the body is in the offing, but the knowledge we already have of tributyltin wreaking havoc on the body’s liver is enough for me to know that additional research isn’t necessary. And because the negative effects of tributyltin are often made manifest in the smallest of doses, this is a finding that should be taken very seriously.

This isn’t meant as a scare tactic. I’m only here to report the facts, as this study was recently published in this month’s issue of the journal BioScience.

Yes, the economy is in rough shape, and yes, more and more people aren’t making as much money now as they were just a few months ago (with so many unions restructuring their contracts with businesses). But the price difference between organic and non-organic foods is not so stark that it’s worth compromising one’s long term health. Keep that in mind as you decide what’s worth cutting back on.