Opinion: Studies Linking ADHD To OPs Are Flawed

There’s an old saying that when someone loses their perspective on an issue, “They can’t see the forest for the trees.” A lot of so-called environmentalists have fallen into that trap, and I’m concerned that our citizenry is going to suffer because of it.

A good example would be a recent study, published in a pediatrics journal, which claimed that exposure to certain organophosphate pesticides (OPs), like those used on some fruits and vegetables, can increase chances of children developing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

You’ve probably already read or heard of the study, as it predictably caused a media sensation. I say “predictably” because I used to work at a daily newspaper/website, and in the daily meetings about what to post on the top of the home page or publish on the front page of the next day’s paper, the story that would win the day was usually the story that would scare the most people. Sad, but true. People say they like to read “feel-good” stories, but that’s not what they buy.

Anyway, in reporting on the study we included reaction from fruit business leaders such as Nancy Foster of the U.S. Apple Association. She pointed out that “Information on the use of pesticides in this study does not reflect the significant decline in OP use over the past decade. If exposure to OP pesticides were significant in affecting the diagnosis of ADHD, then there would be a corresponding drop in ADHD diagnosis.”

Added the United Fresh Produce Association’s Tom Stenzel: “Many of you may have seen news reports concerning research on the consumption of fresh produce and a possible link to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). United Fresh Produce Association certainly supports ongoing research into the causes of ADHD, but is concerned that misinterpretation of this single study could be counterproductive to children’s health.” I’m concerned too, Tom.

A Different Health Issue

I’m sure the scientists who authored the study, as well as even some of the so-called environmentalists who gleefully called attention to it, meant well. And I’m certainly not going to take the position that OPs aren’t a concern. But they are “trees.” People need to step back and take a look at the “forest” — the health of our nation’s children.

This generation of children, after all, is the first in history that’s predicted to live shorter lives than their parents. Think about that. Even with all our tremendous advancements in medicine, and the many more we are sure to make, our kids, on average, are going to die at a younger age than we are. And it’s not from consuming OPs, either.

It’s because they’re getting too fat. One in three kids today is overweight, and since 1980, a generation ago, the childhood obesity rate has tripled. As a result, those overweight kids will face a whole host of obesity-related health problems as they age, from diabetes to coronary heart disease. There’s no medication approved for treating childhood obesity, either. It’s going to take more exercise and better eating, including a diet loaded with fresh fruit.

So the next time someone mentions a study like this to you, remind them that farmers don’t like to spray expensive pesticides, and that the fresh fruit they grow is critical to improving people’s health. Remind them to take a step back and see the forest.