© Provided by Rodale Inc. Girl Eating An Apple

In the past, studies have shown that concentrations of common pesticides in children’s bodies all but disappear when they switch from eating conventionally grown food to a diet that’s exclusively organic. But new research from at the University of California, Berkeley suggests that’s not the case for all kids. 

Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá, assistant professor of applied environmental health at the University of Maryland and one of the lead authors of the study, explains that those other studies () only looked at the effect of an organic diet on caucasian children who live in the suburbs. She and her team wanted to find out if the results would differ for other populations.

“We focused on low-income Latino children living in urban and rural agricultural communities,” Quirós-Alcalá says. “This is key as low-income populations have different levels of exposure to pesticides. The sources of exposure are different as well. For example, poor housing quality is associated with high pest infestations and therefore more frequent pesticide use indoors.” Similarly, children who live very close to farm fields that get regularly doused by chemical sprays are more likely to absorb them through what’s known as pesticide drift—when and other pesticide droplets to an area other than the intended target. They also come into contact with pesticide residues that linger on the clothing of family members who work in the fields. 

The researchers measured daily urine pesticide concentrations (an estimate of exposure) in 40 California children aged 3 to 6 for 16 days. The group ate conventional food for the first four days and then switched to organic for seven days, before returning to a conventional diet for the last five. Levels of some types of pesticides—those typically found on crops—dropped off during the organic phase, but others—like insecticides typically used in the home—remained constant. The scientists also discovered that kids who lived in the farming area had higher rates of exposure overall, meaning that consuming conventionally grown produce is not the only significant way children absorb agricultural poisons. Eating exclusively organic is only part of the solution. So what are concerned parents to do? 

Make sure your kids eat nutritious food, even if you can’t afford to buy organic all the time. “All parents should focus on making sure that their children eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. Produce needs to washed well, whether organic or not,” Quirós-Alcalá says. But perhaps more importantly, caregivers should do what they can to keep their homes pesticide-free. “Insecticides applied indoors may remain for prolonged periods,” she says, and young children are the most vulnerable.