Body weight loss increases plasma and adipose tissue concentrations of potentially toxic pollutants in obese individuals

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity Vol. 24; no. 10; pp. 1272 - 1278
• Main Authors: Chevrier, J, Dewailly, E, Ayotte, P, Mauriege, P, Despres, J.P, Tremblay, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.10.2000; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adult; adverse effects; Androgens; Bans; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Body burden; Body Composition; Body fat; Body weight; body weight changes; Cancer; chronic diseases; complications; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Environmental Pollutants - blood; Environmental Pollutants - metabolism; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; exercise; Female; Health problems; Health risks; Humans; Insecticides; Insecticides - blood; Insecticides - metabolism; Insecticides - toxicity; low calorie diet; low fat diet; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; metabolism; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - metabolism; Organic compounds; Organochlorine compounds; Organochlorine pesticides; patients; PCB; Pesticides; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Plasma; Pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - blood; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - metabolism; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - toxicity; risk; risk reduction; scientists; Side effects; Tissue analysis; toxicity; Toxicology; Weight control; Weight Loss; women; Canada; Quebec Canada; Human; Measurement; Obesity; Adipose tissue; Toxicity; Pesticides; Nutrition disorder; Weight loss; Blood plasma; Treatment; Organochlorine compounds; Adult; Nutritional status; Comparative study; Low calorie diet
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801380

BACKGROUND: While there appears to be consensus among scientists and clinicians that body weight loss reduces the risk of several chronic diseases, these apparently favourable effects should be balanced against any potentially harmful side effect of weight loss. In this regard, weight loss has been shown to produce an increase in blood concentration of potentially toxic organochlorine pollutants in animals that can cause prejudice to health, but human data are lacking. METHODS: Thirty-nine obese individuals were subjected to a hypocaloric diet during 15 weeks. Blood and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were analysed before and after treatment for 26 organochlorine compounds. A control group consisting of 57 women of similar mean age was also formed in order to compare plasma concentrations. RESULTS: Organochlorine pollutants were found in every subject and all 19 compounds detected had their plasma concentration increased following treatment (mean body weight loss 9.5 kg), 15 of which were statistically significant. When compared with a control group, five compounds increased significantly. These observations persisted after an 18 week low-fat diet/exercise program follow-up. Increases were correlated with body weight loss (-0.3 greater than or equal to r greater than or equal to -0.6, P<0.05) and adipose tissue analyses yielded similar results, as their concentration of organochlorine compounds increased following treatment. CONCLUSION: Body weight loss increases plasma and subcutaneous adipose tissue concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in obese subjects. These results raise concerns about an undesired and potentially harmful side effect of weight loss in some obese patients who seem to be at greater risk of health problems than leaner subjects since they show higher organochlorine body burden.