New Study Finds that Pesticides Double the Risk of ADHD in Our Children
by Tony Isaacs
For years environmentalists and natural health advocates have been trying to point out that organophosphate pesticides (malathion, etc.) work by disrupting the neurological systems of insects, and therefore humans who consume it on foods are at risk of neurological problems. Now, after millions of kids have been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder), it is finally being admitted.
In a new study just published in Pediatrics, researchers from the University of Montreal and Harvard University found evidence strongly indicating that pesticides could be a major cause of the alarming rise in ADHD in our children. Children who had high than average biomarkers for organophosphate pesticides were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Previous studies found that pesticides may contribute to hyperactivity and cognitive problems in animals, but the new study is among the first to determine that it affects humans, too.
Among the study's findings:
* Children who have high levels of pesticide residues are 93% more likely to have ADHD.
and
* For every 55% increase in residue in urine, there is a 10% greater risk of ADHD.
"I think it's fairly significant. A doubling is a strong effect," said Maryse F. Bouchard, a researcher at the University of Montreal in Quebec and lead author of the study.
The study is the largest thus far to examine the effect of pesticides on child development and behavior, including ADHD. ADHD affects an estimated 4.5 million U.S. children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2.5 million kids take medication for the condition.
In the study, Bouchard and her colleagues measured levels of six pesticide metabolites in the urine of 1,139 children ages 8 to 15. The children were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2000 and 2004 and included 119 children who were diagnosed with ADHD.
Unlike other studies on the impact of pesticides, the new study provided a look into average insecticide exposure in the general child population instead of a specialized group (such as the children of farmworkers). Organophosphates are commonly used on some of the crops children consume the most, such as frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery. However, since some of the children who participated in the study were from urban areas, the results suggest that pesticide exposure comes from the air we breathe, as well as on the foods we eat. Bouchard said that because many pesticides leave the body after three to six days, the presence of residue shows that exposure is likely constant.
Cheminova, the Danish firm that is the world's largest manufacturer of malathion, declined to comment on the conclusions of the new study. Diane Allemang, vice president for global regulatory affairs, reported that she had not yet seen the study.
Bouchard's advice for parents: "I would say buy organic as much as possible. I would also recommend washing fruits and vegetables as much as possible."
The consumer advocacy organization Environmental Working Group echoes Bouchard's advice, advising shoppers to buy organic versions of a dozen fruits and vegetables that grow in the ground or are commonly eaten with the skin, because they're most likely to be contaminated.
When washing fruits and vegetables, be sure to wash and rinse them in cold tap water and scrub firm-skinned produce with a brush. Some people opt for the addition of hydrogen peroxide to their fruit and vegetable rinses for maximum removal of pesticides. Frozen fruits and vegetables should also be washed.
Don't wash produce with soap, though. Soap can leave behind detergent residues and more chemicals that everyone would do best to avoid. Sources included:
South Africa bans these "op" chlorpyrifos pesticides:
On May 14th, South Africa's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced (PDF) that the country was banning the use of the organophosphate (OP) chemical chlorpyrifos (PDF) for home and garden uses. The announcement is a major blow to Dow Chemical, the main manufacturer of chlorpyrifos worldwide.
A PAN Bad Actor pesticide, chlorpyrifos is an acute nerve toxin and suspected endocrine disruptor that has been linked to numerous health harms. Most recently, OPs have been linked to an increased risk of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.
Chlorpyrifos is found at particularly high levels in children. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 93% of U.S. residents sampled between 1999 and 2000 had chlorpyrifos in their bodies, with children aged 6-11 years showing levels almost twice as high as those of adults.
From 2001-2005, EPA phased out residential uses of chlorpyrifos in the U.S., citing concerns for children's health in particular, although the chemical, sold under the name Dursban or Lorsban, is still widely used in agriculture, which means heightened exposure continues to endanger rural and farmworker children.
PAN North America is working with partners, including the Farm Worker Pesticide Project, to urge EPA to complete the chlorpyrifos ban. "It's just unconscionable to allow continued exposure to chlorpyrifos among children in agricultural areas, after ruling that it is too hazardous for kids in urban settings," said Pesticide Action Network staff scientist Dr. Margaret Reeves, "it's time to get rid of it, once and for all."
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New Study Finds that Pesticides Double the Risk of ADHD in Our Children 
New Study Finds that Pesticides Double the Risk of ADHD in Our Children
