Weighty Consequences: Pollution’s Hidden Weight in the Obesity Epidemic: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to comprehensively examine the relationship between environmental pollution and obesity by integrating epidemiological evidence, biological mechanisms, and anthropometric measurements. It specifically focuses on how pollutants contribute to weight gain and metabolic disruptions, particularly in vulnerable populations. RECENT FINDINGS: Environmental pollution, including air, noise, light, persistent organic pollutants, and microplastics/plastic additives, is increasingly recognized as a contributor to the global obesity epidemic. Epidemiological studies highlight the associations between pollution exposure and obesity risk, while mechanistic research reveals how pollutants disrupt metabolic processes, alter hormonal balance, and induce systemic inflammation. This review synthesizes current findings on the role of environmental pollutants in obesity, integrating both epidemiological and mechanistic perspectives. It explores how exposure to pollutants disrupts metabolic pathways, alters endocrine functions, and promotes systemic inflammation, ultimately contributing to obesity. Vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children, adolescents, and the elderly, are particularly at risk due to their heightened sensitivity to environmental exposures. By highlighting critical research gaps, it underscores the need for further longitudinal studies and interventional strategies aimed at mitigating pollution-induced metabolic risks. Public health policies targeting environmental pollution could serve as an effective approach to obesity prevention and control.