March 25, 2019
Dusting, while an extremely laborious and boring task, can help manage indoor allergies, promote household cleanliness and now, may help fend off weight gain, according to new research.
Household dust may contribute to fat cell growth, according to research presented Monday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, in New Orleans. Further, the endocrine-disrupting chemicals promote the development of fat cells in a cell model and could contribute to increased growth in children, depending on their age
Researchers from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment collected dust samples from 194 households in North Carolina, broke them down into their constituent chemicals, and tested whether these could promote fat cell growth under a petri dish.
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“This is some of the first research investigating links between exposure to chemical mixtures present in the indoor environment and metabolic health of children living in those homes," wrote lead researcher Christopher Kassotis, Ph.D.
According to the EPA, children are estimated to consume between 60 and 100 milligrams of dust each day.
The study determined that even very low concentrations of chemicals in dust might spur fat cell growth.
MindBodyGreen reports:
It found that dust had adverse effects in the lab at 100 micrograms, or about 1,000 times lower levels than what children consume on a daily basis, (Children are more sensitive to exposure, and the study doesn't touch on what this could mean for adults.)
MindBodyGreen suggests removing your shoes indoors and using a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly to help keep toxins out of the home.
