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Brief Description:

Long-term exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of diabetes according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute.

Transcript:

Akinso: Long-term exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of diabetes according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute. SANDLER: We found that there were 7 pesticides that appeared to be associated with an increase in the chances of getting diabetes.

Akinso: Dr. Dale Sandler is the chief of the Epidemiology Branch at the NIEHS and the co-author of the study.

Sandler: The seven were organochlorine insecticides, called Aldrin, chlordane and heptachlor and they were also some other chlorinated pesticides as well.

Akinso: The licensed pesticide applicators that used chlorinated pesticides on more than 100 days in their lifetime were at greater risk of diabetes. The association between specific pesticides and incident diabetes ranged from a 20 percent to a 200 percent increase risk according to Dr. Sandler.

Sandler: The results suggest that pesticides play a small role in increasing the chances of developing diabetes along with the more well known risk factors which are being overweight, not getting enough exercise, or even getting older and having a family history of diabetes. They also suggested that people who are overweight and also use these specific types of pesticides have the greatest chance of developing diabetes.

Akinso: Dr. Sandler said the findings provide scientists with an important clue for further research. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland.