Be careful what you eat. A study published in the May 2010 issue of Pediatrics, revealed that children exposed to the pesticide organophosphate have an increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.  The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that organophosphate pesticides were originally used as nerve agents in WWII, but have evolved into the most widely used insecticide on the market.  In 2001, the United States used approximately 73 million pounds of organophosphate.  The EPA states that organophosphate “poses significant health risks to people who are exposed to them through their work.”

This is the first study linking organophosphates with ADHD, but even without a concrete correlation Bouchard believes it is important be wary of pesticides in foods.  She recommends washing all fruits and vegetables carefully to reduce pesticide residue and suggests eating organic food when possible.  How can we protect our food while it is being grown and keep children from ingesting dangerous chemicals? 

The study’s research team, led by Maryse Bouchard of the University of Montreal, analyzed urine samples of 1,139 children ages 8 to 15.  Bouchard measured a child’s organophosphate exposure based on the amount of dialkyl phosphate metabolites (DAP) in a child’s urine.  The study found that with each tenfold increase in DAP, the odds of having attention-deficit hyperactive disorder rose by more than half.  Bouchard says, “We saw that children with above-average levels of exposure had twice the risk of ADHD as those with undetectable levels.”  Croplife America, the representative of pesticide manufacturers, claims that organophosphate is an EPA approved substance and more research is needed to link pesticide exposure with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder.  

Organophosphate has already been linked to a variety negative health effects such as behavioral problems, developmental delays, and poor short-term memory.  The National Academy of Sciences states that infants and children receive most of their exposure of Organophosphate through diets and because of their smaller body mass and developing brains, they are much more susceptible to the Organophosphate.  A 2008 report from the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program found organophosphate in 28 percent of blueberry samples, 25 percent of fresh strawberry samples, and 19 percent in celery samples.