Produce Pesticides Linked to ADHD

July 26, 2010 by Admin
Filed under: Caring for Your Children, In the News

CHICAGO—Children exposed to common pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have an increased risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an article by Bridget M. Kuehn, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (2010;304(1):27-28). In the review titled “Increased Risk of ADHD Associated With Early Exposure to Pesticides, PCBs,” Kuehn said individuals who are exposed early in life to organophosphates or organochlorine compounds, widely used as pesticides or for industrial applications, are at greater risk of ADHD, according to recent studies.

She noted previous studies linked ADHD with very high levels of childhood exposure to organophosphate pesticides, such as levels experienced by children living in farming. However, more recent research has found children who experience more typical levels of pesticide exposure, such as from eating pesticide-treated fruits and vegetables, have a higher risk of developing the disorder.

She said researchers found pregnant women exposed to low-level organochlorine exposure increased the chances of their children developing ADHD-like behavior. In particular, they found ADHD was associated with higher levels of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (a metabolite of the pesticide DDT). She noted both have been banned from production in the United States for decades, but persist in the environment.

One specific study she mentioned, conduced by Canadian and Boston researchers, found a 10-percent risk of ADHD in children with the lowest organophosphate exposure compared to a 20-percent risk in those in the highest exposure levels. The lead author of that study said organophosphates are known to cause toxicity by interfering with neurotransmitters, which could cause ADHD.

A separate study noted by Kuehn found children born to mothers who lived near a PCB-contaminated harbor in New Bedford, MA, had significant increases in ADHD-like behavior, especially at higher exposure levels. The risk of ADHD-like behavior increased 26 percent to 92 percent, depending on the particular organochlorines to which they were exposed.

SAFE PRODUCE LIST

The Environmental Working Group has just posted their new shoppers guide to produce to help you choose between produce that MUST be purchased organic, vs. produce that you can buy that is grown conventionally. Download the list and keep it with your reusable shopping bags to make the right choice next time you shop for your family, click here to download the safe produce list: http://tinyurl.com/2f5wpyz.