A common type of pesticide used in agriculture may contribute to decreased lung function in children, making it harder for them to breathe and exercise, according to new research.
Researchers, writing in the journal Thorax, found an 8% decrease in lung function for every 10-fold increase in concentration of organophosphate pesticides. That decrease in functioning is close to the effect caused by second-hand smoking.
The study’s researchers measured exposure to those pesticides in pregnant women and their offspring in California’s agricultural Salinas Valley until children reached age 5. Researchers then assessed children’s lung functioning at age 7 and found the decreased lung functioning. To know whether that effect lasts longer-term would require further study.