When the group around WANG Peng from China Agriculture University added chlorpyrifos pesticide into the food and water of mice, they found an increase in body weight. They assume that pesticide intake broke the integrity of the gut barrier, leading to an increased entry of a toxin into the body and finally inflammation, which ultimately induced insulin resistance and obesity. Similar results were observed in mice with different genetic backgrounds and diet habits, suggesting that genes and diet had limited influence on the altered gut and gut microbiota.
CAS news release, March 8, 2019
Ingestion of pesticides may lead to obesity: Chinese study with mice