Organic foods lower pesticides in children

Organic foods lower pesticides in children

Researchers found that substituting conventional diets with organic foods resulted in a decrease of organophosphate insecticide residues in elementary school children. Traces of malathion and chlorpyrifos decreased to undetectable levels immediately after the introduction of organic diets and remained undetectable until conventional diets were reintroduced. The scientists concluded that the children were most likely exposed to the pesticides exclusively through their diet.

Sorry I don't have the data site for this info.

Here's a link to this study in PDF format from the National Institute of Health: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2005/8418/8418.pdf

Wayne

Ooooo, THANKS, Wayne!

Here is more info:

from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm

ALERT : KIDS AT RISK FROM PESTICIDES IN SCHOOLS
A summer 2005 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports "significant increases" in pesticide poisonings of children in schools since 1998. Nearly a third of the cases were attributable to drifting pesticides from applications taking place off-site, while the majority were due to the use of insecticides inside schools. Study authors also addressed chronic exposure to herbicides due to repeated applications on school yards, saying "the potential for chronic health effects from pesticide exposures at schools should not be dismissed." A piece of legislation that would reduce these chemical risk factors in schools is currently stalled in the House of Representatives. Learn more and sign on to support the School Environmental Protection Act here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sepa-petition.htm

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UPDATE: PARENTING MAGAZINE ADVISES KIDS EAT THEIR PESTICIDES
In July, Organic Bytes reported that Parents Magazine, one of the most influential parenting publications in the U.S., printed an article belittling the benefits of organic foods as a myth. Likely under the financial sway of the magazine's conventional food advertisers, the magazine endorsed pesticides in foods as safe, stating: "there's no evidence that these chemicals, used at the low levels found in our food supply, are harmful to children." Thanks to you, thousands of letters and emails were generated to the magazine's editorial staff. As an update on this issue, despite this landfall of input, Parents Magazine has refused to respond to any of these letters, including OCA's formal letter of inquiry. (Learn more: "U.S. Government Facts - Children's Chemical & Pesticide Exposure via Foods" http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/wic-faq.pdf)

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QUICK TIDBITS
In the last three years, 287 bills related to kicking junk food out of schools have been proposed in some 45 states. The junk food industry has lobbied hard against these laws and has successfully defeated over 85% of them. As the exception, New Jersey and Maine recently passed "junk food laws" that will remove soda, candy and other junk foods from schools (pre-kindergarten through high school) by the end of 2007. The OCA's "Appetite for a Change" campaign is closely monitoring similar proposed legislation in your state. Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.htm

San Francisco passed a law last week requiring city contractors to provide documentation that guarantees all new municipal purchases, from uniforms to computers, are not made from sweatshop labor. The city joins other municipalities who have passed similar "sweatshop-free" ordinances, including Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Newark, N.J. and Albuquerque, N.M. At the same time, after extensive lobbying by the Organic Consumers Association, San Francisco officials passed a resolution calling for giving preference to "local and organic" food suppliers for city contracts. http://www.organicconsumers.org/clothes/index.cfm

TF! Thanks for additional reading material/links!