obesogen

[ oh-bee-suh-jen ]

noun

1. a factor, especially a chemical one, that inclines a person or animal to obesity by triggering adverse modifications to such physical processes as metabolism, fat storage, and appetite regulation:

   Avoiding processed, nonorganic foods may reduce your exposure to obesogens.

Other Words From

• o·be·so·gen·ic [oh-bee-s, uh, -, jen, -ik] adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of obesogen¹

First recorded in 1975–80; back formation from obesogenic ( def )

Example Sentences

One bisphenol, BPA, has all the molecular characteristics of an obesogen, a term coined in 2006 to describe chemicals that potentially make us fatter.

From The Guardian

What’s unique to fructose is that it seems to be a universal obesogen—in other words, every creature that eats it gains weight.

From Time