Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026
05:10
Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
1.3K
Parabens and their relation to obesity
L Kolatorova1, M Sramkova, J Vitku
1Department of Steroids and Proteofactors, Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic. lkolatorova@endo.cz.
Physiological Research
|November 29, 2018
Summary
This study found that higher levels of methylparaben and propylparaben were present in women with obesity. Methylparaben exposure was linked to changes in hormones related to energy balance, suggesting a potential obesogenic effect.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Environmental Health
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Parabens are common preservatives with known endocrine-disrupting properties.
- Adipose tissue exhibits endocrine activity, and chemicals can influence obesity.
- Parabens are under investigation for potential obesogenic effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between paraben exposure and obesity.
- To investigate the relationship between paraben levels and key metabolic hormones.
Main Methods:
- Blood plasma was collected from 27 healthy women during their menstrual cycle.
- Measurements included paraben levels (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben), adipokines, and hormones regulating energy balance.
- Statistical analysis, including the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, was used to compare groups and assess associations.
Main Results:
- Higher methylparaben and propylparaben levels were observed in women with a BMI of 25-34.9 compared to those with a BMI of 18.5-24.9.
- Plasma methylparaben and total paraben levels positively correlated with adipsin levels.
- Methylparaben showed negative associations with glucagon, leptin, and PAI-1.
Conclusions:
- Methylparaben and propylparaben levels are associated with higher BMI in women.
- Paraben exposure, particularly methylparaben, is linked to alterations in hormones that affect energy balance and metabolic health.
- Findings suggest a potential obesogenic role for parabens, warranting further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
1.3K
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
1.3K
01:12Relative Risk
2.1K
Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.1K
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
266
In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
266
01:10Relative Velocity in One Dimension
10.2K
The understanding of the concept of reference frames is essential to discuss relative motion in one or more dimensions. When we say that an object has a certain velocity, we must state the velocity with respect to a given reference frame. In most examples, this reference frame has been Earth. For instance, if a statement reads that a person is sitting in a train moving at 10 m/s east, then it implies that the person on the train is moving relative to the surface of Earth at this velocity,...
10.2K
01:14Relative Frequency Histogram
6.5K
The relative frequency depicts the proportion of data points that have each value. The frequency tells the number of data points that have each value. Like the histogram, a relative frequency histogram also has the same shape with a horizontal scale (the x-axis), but the vertical scale (the y-axis) is marked with relative frequencies (percentages of the whole) instead of actual frequencies. A relative frequency histogram is a graphical representation of a frequency distribution where the...
6.5K
01:11Relative Velocity in Two Dimensions
9.1K
Relative velocity is the velocity of an object as observed from a particular reference frame, or the velocity of one reference frame with respect to another reference frame. The concept of relative velocity can be used to describe motion in two dimensions. Consider a particle P and two reference frames S and S′. The position of the origin of S′ as measured in S is , the position of P as measured in S′ is , and the position of P as measured in S is , which can be evaluated by utilizing...
9.1K