DDT Exposure Linked to Obesity, Diabetes and High Cholesterol in Female Descendents

The pesticide, DDT, has been banned in the United States since the 1970s. But this chemical once played havoc on the health of ecosystems. Now, scientists have found that exposure to DDT could cause other issues; it turns out that pregnant mice who have been exposed to DDT are more likely to have female offspring that have an increased risk in obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and related conditions.

DDT may have been banned in the United States, but it's still used for malaria control in countries that include India and South Africa. Understanding its impacts on health, therefore, is crucial for learning whether or not the chemical is worth the risk.

In this case, the scientists gave mice doses of DDT comparable to exposure of people living in malaria-infested regions where it's regularly spread. These levels also mimicked those found in U.S. adults who are now in their 50s.

"The women and men this study is most applicable to in the United States are currently at the age where they're more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, because these are disease of middle- to late adulthood," said Michele La Merrill, one of the researchers, in a news release.

So what did they find? It turns that exposure to DDT before birth slowed the metabolism of female mice and lowered their tolerance of cold temperature. In addition, they were at an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and related conditions. In addition, while females were at a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cholesterol, males only were at risk of a minor increase in glucose levels.

The findings have implications for regions that still use DDT. If mothers are exposed to these chemicals, their children may be at risk for these conditions. That said, more research needs to be conducted before scientists can determine whether these findings are truly applicable to humans or not.

The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.