If you're expecting, not only should you not count calories, you should be wary of pesticides too, according to recent reports. In studying childhood obesity, researchers discovered a strong link between chemical contamination in the womb and cases of obesity in children. Just why this link exists is not yet clear, but it's thought that these findings could forever change the way foods are processed worldwide.

Chemicals that showed a link to obesity (called Obesogens) include organotins, bisphenol A (BPA), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and phthalates. Unfortunately, it's believed the nearly everyone in the world has traces of these chemicals in their bodies.

Still, just because we can't avoid pollution, doesn't mean we're destined for a life of obesity -- we still have a personal responsibility to stay fit and practice healthy habits. Says Dr. Pete Myers, a leading expert on Obesogens: "We need to discover ways to reduce exposures to these chemicals so that changing diet and lifestyle has a chance to work."

(Via CalorieLab)