A new study conducted in Spain suggests that pollution makes children obese. If babies are exposed to common chemicals while still in the womb they may become overweight before they turn 10, the study says. Scientists from Barcelona's Municipal Institute of Medical Research measured levels of a common pesticide, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), in the umbilical cords of 403 children before they were born. They found that those with the highest levels were twice as likely to be obese by the time they were six-and-a-half. The study speculates that HCB can make expectant mothers diabetic, which increases the chances of their children becoming obese.

Source: Down To Earth,
Date: October 2008