New study links pesticides with ADHD in kids

May 18th, 2010 - 8:38 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

Washington DC, May 18 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A new research has linked common pesticides used on fruits and vegetables to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. However the research couldn’t prove that pesticides contribute to learning problems in children. Scientists say more research would be needed to prove the kind of relationship that exists between pesticides and ADHD.

The scientists said that they tested for the presence of compounds that are contained in pesticides in the urine of the children and 94 percent of the children tested positive for the compounds. The compounds are as a result of the breakdown of the pesticides, that have entered their body through fruits and vegetables.

The report said the children who had a higher amount of the compounds in their urine had high chances of having ADHD. However researchers were not able to determine how the pesticides got into the system of the children. Pesticides can get into the body in several ways. They can be eaten, swallowed and even imbibed from the air.

These findings were published in the Pediatrics journal and they said that children are prone to pesticide effects because their body is still growing because of their relative body weight to the adults.

Related Stories

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Health |

Subscribe