Do Pesticides cause Obesity and Diabetes?

Abstract

We have an epidemic of obesity that presents with serious health and economic consequences. Obesity is the most common disease in the U.S. that has developed rapidly in only a matter of decades. Glyphosate (RoundupTM) is a popular pesticide with private and commercial use that has dramatically increased in recent decades. The geographic distribution and rise of obesity and glyphosate over time are similar (Fig 1). Recent evidence suggests that chronic glyphosate/AMPA (Fig. 2) exposure causes hepatorenal toxicity and oxidative stress. Our previous LABS study has 4700+ blood samples from across the country (Fig.1) with multiple time points before and after bariatric surgery (6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 months). These samples give us the power to determine if there is a regional relationship between obesity and pesticide use once a method of validation is established.