Study Suggests Pesticide-ADHD Link

The common pesticides found on fruits and vegetables may possibly contribute to an increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, a recent study suggests.

Researchers from Harvard and the University of Montreal studied the urine samples of 1,139 children ranging in age from eight to 15 who took part in an American government health survey in 2000 to 2004. Pesticides break down into compounds which can be detected in urine and those compounds were present in samples provided by 94 per cent of the kids.

Children with more of those compounds in their urine had increased chances of having ADHD – 150 kids in this study met the diagnostic criteria for the behavioral disorder.

Researchers found a link between increased levels of one common pesticide called organophosphates and measured levels of six compounds. Twenty per cent of children who had high levels of the most common compound had ADHD. Ten per cent of kids with no trace of that compound had ADHD.

The findings were published in the medical journal Pediatrics this week.

While the results of this study are compelling, more research is needed to confirm a link between pesticides and ADHD, the authors noted. The causes of the disorder are still being studied.

Health risks associated with pesticide residues could have a greater impact on children due to the fact they consume more than adults relative to their body weight and because their bodies are still developing.

The study didn’t note exactly how the children were exposed to the chemicals, whether it was through food, air or water, but experts believe most kids who don’t live in agricultural areas are exposed by food.

A study released in 2008 by Emory University found traces of pesticides in children’s urine nearly disappeared once they switched to organic produce.

Health Canada – Maximum Residue Levels For Pesticides

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