ABSTRACT

The Illinois Junior Academy of Science

This form/paper may not be taken without IJAS authorization.

CATEGORY Biochemistry STATE REGION # 6
SCHOOL Niles North High School IJAS SCHOOL # 6038
CITY/ZIP Skokie, IL 60077 SCHOOL PHONE # 847-626-2254
SPONSOR Christine Camel

MARK ONE: EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION DESIGN INVESTIGATION

NAME OF SCIENTIST* Sarah Ly GRADE 10th
NAME OF SCIENTIST GRADE
NAME OF SCIENTIST GRADE
NAME OF SCIENTIST GRADE

* If this project is awarded a monetary prize, the check will be written in this scientist's name, and it will be his/her res ponsibility to
distribute the prize money equally among all participating scientists.

PROJECT TITLE
The Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Obesity

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to determine the correlation between the concentration of endocrine disrupting
chemicals in various foods and the obesity rate.
Procedure: This experiment was conducted by analyzing the concentration of five different endocrine disrupting chemicals
(dibenzofuran, dioxin 1,2,3,4,6,7, 8-HpCDD, mercury, arsenic, and lead) in ten different foods such as milk, fish, eggs, vegetables etc.
Using the GEMS/Food Contaminant database, the mean concentration of each EDC was graphed for each of the ten foods and then
compared to the obesity rate.



Conclusion: In conclusion this experiment was inconclusive. Many of the foods expressed a positive relationship demonstrating
that an increasing rate of EDC concentration correlated with an increasing rate of obesity. This link is most likely due to t he fact that
an increasing concentration results in a higher chance of disturbance of the endocrine system. Disturbance of important weight
maintenance hormones like leptin can result in a possibility of obesity. In addition to the positive relationships between certain EDC
and obesity, negative relations occurred as well. Chemicals such as lead in vegetables followed the opposite pattern of obesity
suggesting that other factors that were not analyzed in this experiment contributed to obesity as well.





1) Limit Abstract to 3 paragraphs (about 200 words or less). a) Purpose - what you set out to investigate; b) Procedure - how you did
it; c) Conclusion - based on your results. Label each paragraph.
2) Must be typed, single-spaced on the front of this form. Do not write on the back of this form.
3) Three copies of your complete paper are required at the State Science Project Exposition.
Four copies of your complete paper are required for the State Paper Session Competition.

This form must be used. This form must be displayed on the front of the exhibitors display board. It may be reduced to half a sheet of paper;
8.5 inches (vertical) X 5.5 inches (horizontal).