According to a study by Emory University researcher Chensheng "Alex" Lu, PhD, 'Organic diets lower children's dietary exposure to two common pesticides used in U.S. agricultural production.'
The fact is to substitute normal diets of children with organic food items. The result was that concentration of pesticides was reduced to non-detectable levels.As stated by Dr. Lu, "The use of organophosphorus pesticides in residential areas has either been banned or restricted by recent regulatory changes. This helps to minimize children's exposure, but still few restrictions have been imposed in agriculture."
In his initial research, Dr. Lu and his colleagues specifically measured the exposure of two organophosphorus pesticides (OP) - malathion and chlorpyrifos - in 23 elementary students in the Seattle area by testing their urine over a 15-day period.
The study sample consisted of children of ages 3 to 11-years-old. They were first monitored for three days on their conventional diets before the researchers substituted most of the children's conventional diets with organic food items for five consecutive days. The children were then re-introduced to their normal foods and monitored for an additional seven days.
In the words of the lead researcher there was a "dramatic and immediate protective effect" against the pesticides until the conventional diets were re-introduced.
The effect would continue till they are on the organic diet and levels of pesticides would come back once normal diets are restored.
Advertisement
