BPA And Obese Babies: Is There A Connection?

Drive-thru burgers and fries, movie theater popcorn with three days worth of fat and calories, video games, smart phones and TV, there are plenty of villains in the war against obesity. But all of the usual suspects don't explain the latest segment of the population with rising obesity rates – infants.

Research from Harvard University shows infant obesity has risen more than 70 percent since 1980. The numbers are staggering and confusing because babies eat only formula or breast milk and they've never been much into exercise.

"I get the question you know, 'how old is she?'. When I say 'six weeks', they say she looks like a three month old. She's definitely bigger," explained new mother Kelly Domina.

Domina is confident her 6-week old daughter will outgrow her baby fat but studies have shown big babies are at risk of being obese adults.

WHY ARE BABIES GETTING FAT?

Researchers believe a common household chemical may be to blame.

"Research has shown since 2001 that being exposed to BPA during development changes your body weight," explained Tufts University Scientist Dr. Laura Vandenberg.

BPA, or Bisphenol-A, is found in hundreds of consumer products. "Humans are most likely exposed to BPA through oral exposures," Vandenberg said. "BPA is used to line the inside of cans and that's thought to be a major exposure in adults."

Dr. Vandenberg and her colleagues have evidence that mice exposed to tiny amounts of BPA while in the womb gained more weight than mice that were not exposed. The animals didn't eat more and they got the same amount of exercise. "What actually happens is the fat cells have more fat in them so each cell is actually getting larger," Vandenberg said...