New Research Shows House Dust Might Be Making You Fat

You might start blaming something else apart from food for your sudden accumulation of fat. It seems that a dusty home contributes to our weight gaining, as certain pollutants found in house dust particles contribute to the growth of fat cells.

ECDs affect fat cells’ capability to multiply

A recent research discovered that house dust particles contain some substances which accelerate the accumulation of fat. Among these substances, there are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). These ECDs influence adipose cells, and make them multiply. Also, they acquire more triglycerides, which make us gain weight and lead to other health complications.

These ECDs can be synthetic, but it also happens that they occur naturally. Once they reach our bodies, they affect our hormones and replicate them. Previous research found evidence that, if animals were exposed to these substances in early life, they started gaining weight later in life.

You can stumble upon these chemicals in many consumer goods, but it’s not uncommon for them to end up in house dust. Once they get there, we are only one step away from getting them into our bodies by ingesting, inhaling, or absorbing them through the skin.

Inhaling house dust is especially dangerous for children

Reports show children end up consuming around 50 milligrams of house dust every day. For the research, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, scientists collected dust samples from 11 houses in North Carolina, and noticed how seven of these samples caused the accumulation of triglycerides on fat cells.

Also, nine samples caused the cells to multiply and create smaller ones which were soon to develop into mature cells. Also, they discovered how only three micrograms are enough to trigger a response in the cells.

House dust contains many pollutants, including plastic residues, which have the most severe effects in people. These chemicals have the potential to affect one’s metabolism, and are dangerous especially for children.
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