Organic Food May Reduce Your Exposure to Pesticides

When it comes to eating healthy, you may want to go organic. Scientists have taken a look at a person's pesticide exposure as part of a healthy diet, and have found that going organic may help reduce this particular exposure.

For this latest study, the researchers analyzed the dietary exposure of nearly 4,500 people from six U.S. cities to organophosphates (OPs). These are the most common insecticides used on conventionally grown produce. OP pesticides are linked to a number of detrimental health effects, particularly among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to the chemicals.

"For most Americans, diet is the primary source of OP pesticide exposure," said Cynthia Curl, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The study suggests that by eating organically grown versions of those foods highest in the pesticide residues, we can make a measurable difference in the levels of pesticides in our bodies."

In this case, the researchers collected dietary data from participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. The scientists also predicted each participant's exposure to OP pesticides based on the amount and type of produce each participant typically ate. And the Department of Agriculture's measurements of pesticide residue levels on those foods.

"If we predict pesticide exposure using dietary questionnaire data, then we may be able to understand the potential health effects of dietary exposure to pesticides without having to collect biological samples from people," said Curl. "That will allow research on organic food to be both less expensive and less invasive."

In the end, the researchers found that those who ate regular produce had a much higher exposure than those who ate organic.

"The next step is to use these exposure predictions to examine the relationship between dietary exposure to pesticides and health outcomes, including neurological and cognitive endpoints," said Curl. "We'll be able to do that in the same population of nearly 4,500 people."

The findings are published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).