ADHD in children linked to exposure to pesticides

25th May 2010

A friend recently alerted me of an article, which links ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children to pesticide exposure. The study was carried out in the USA, and the researchers measured the levels of pesticide byproducts in the urine of 1,139 children across the country. What the study found out was that children with above-average levels of one common byproduct had roughly twice the odds of being diagnosed with ADHD. Exposure to pesticides has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in children before, but the novelty of this study was that instead of focusing on high risk groups (like children of farmers) the study focused on population at large, making the results applicable to the total population.

Follow the link on the right panel to read the original article published on CNN website on 17th May 2010.

I find it very positive that studies like this are being conducted and given publicity, so that we can start understanding the potential health risks related to the common agricultural procedures. We should consider that some of the pesticides work by attacking the central nervous system of the pests - and apparently in the same way they can attack the central nervous system of our children.

Interested by the article, I looked for more information of the commonness of ADHD, I came across a 2007 study by Polanczyk, Silva de Lima et al (published in The American Journal of Psychiatry). The study found the global prevalence of ADHD to be at level of 5.29%, with no real differences between countries. Comparing with other disorders, ADHD seems to be as common as Type II Diabetes, for which many countries have national prevention agendas in place.

What concerns me the most is that ADHD and diabetes can both have something to do with what we eat, and this just reenforces my belief, that we have to eat as natural foods as possible and to really pay attention to the quality our nutrition.