One out of three people in a large survey showed signs of exposure to a pesticide called 2,4-D, according to a study published in Environmental Health by researchers at George Washington University. This novel research found that human exposure to this chemical has been rising as agricultural use of the chemical has increased, a finding that raises worries about possible health implications.
A commonly-used pesticide could be partially responsible for the global obesity epidemic, says a study led by McMaster University scientists.
Researchers discovered that chlorpyrifos, which is banned for use on foods in Canada but widely sprayed on fruits and vegetables in many other countries, slows down the burning of calories in the brown adipose tissue of mice. Reducing this burning of calories, a process known as diet-induced thermogenesis, causes the body to store these extra calories, promoting obesity.
Despite the pesticide and herbicide producers claiming agricultural chemicals disappear after being sprayed on crops research from the Environmental Working Group has found 70% of fresh produce within the USA is contaminated with pesticide chemicals.
Infants exposed to common pesticides during pregnancy and their first year of life are suggested to be at increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, as published in The BMJ.
To avoid pesticides it is said to be best to choose organics whenever possible, but theses items can be substantially more expensive causing most people to just grab conventionally grown produce.
Pesticides have been shown to prevent mitochondria from functioning correctly, leading to cell death in human neurones with increased susceptibility to Parkinsonu2019s Disease, as published in the FASEB Journal.
The Environmental Working Group has released a study on pesticide contamination which concluded amounts of pesticide residue varied significantly among produce, and that 70% of traditionally grown produce even after being carefully washed or peeled still contained residue.
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