Putting on unnecessary weight at an early age is one of the severe health problems faced by young children. Efforts to find out the root cause and tackle the occurrence have been going on from a long time.
Latest findings point out the origin of childhood obesity at the uterus and the wide popularity of modern electronic equipments like microwave oven and other home appliances.
Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. found exposure to manmade electromagnetic field from microwave ovens and other wireless devices during pregnancy escalating the risk of the child becoming obese in childhood.
Participants of the study were provided with a meter to measure their magnetic field levels during pregnancy. More than 700 children of these women were followed for nearly 13 years. Weight measurements of the children were recorded during the period.
The findings found the cause behind the rapid rise in childhood obesity to the wide use of modern home appliances. High exposure to electromagnetic field from the home appliances during pregnancy were found associated with a 69 percent increased risk of having a obese child.
"EMF exposure during pregnancy could impact the fetal development, including endocrine and metabolic systems, predisposing offspring to higher risk of obesity," said lead author Dr. De-Kun Li, a perinatal epidemiologist with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research in Oakland, Calif, in a statement.
Investigators found a medium in-utero level exposure between 1.5 and 2.5 mG associated with a 50 percent risk of obesity and high exposure, more than 2.5 mG escalating the risk to 84 percent.
Researchers also found children who eat more fruits and vegetables having a mother with high prenatal exposure.
Earlier studies have found the electromagnetic fields leading to poor pregnancy outcomes and childhood diseases like asthma.
"Pregnancy is a critical developmental stage that is among the most vulnerable periods to environmental exposures," said Dr. Li. "These findings indicate that electromagnetic fields, from microwave ovens to countless wireless devices, may be contributing to childhood obesity risk. This finding could have implications for possibly reducing childhood obesity and better understanding the obesity epidemic. Like any scientific discoveries, the results need to be replicated by other studies."
The findings of the study have been published in the Nature's Scientific Reports.
