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Pesticides in Food 'Increase Risk of Cancer for Babies'

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 03:03 CST

By JENNY HOPE

BABIES and children may be at greater risk of developing cancer through exposure to pesticides and pollutants in food than was previously thought, scientists say.

Damaging chemicals are everpresent in the soil, seas and food chain.

And experts believe that low levels of these pollutants are more toxic than had been assumed.

Small amounts of environmental chemicals which pass into humans when they eat meat and dairy products could increase the chance of cancer, research shows.

They put vulnerable groups, such as developing children, at risk, according to scientists from the University of Liverpool. The buildup of pollutants in a mother's body can also threaten unborn babies and pass to breastfed babies through milk.

Long-established figures which say up to one in 20 cancer cases may be caused by environmental triggers could be an underestimate, the researchers claim.

They believe we should reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals.

Professor Vyvyan Howard and John Newby, from the university's Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, reviewed more than 300 studies on the environment and cancer. They say their research contradicts past studies into the links between chemicals in pesticides and cancer.

Most previous investigations found levels of these chemicals organochlorines were too low or too weak to be considered a major factor in cancerous diseases.

The chemicals come from sources such as industrial and domestic discharge, car exhausts, agricultural chemicals and sewage.

Professor Howard said: 'For humans the main source of organochlorine exposure is from diet, primarily through meat and dairy products. Children are exposed to dioxin, a by-product of organochlorines, through food.

Breastfed infants can be exposed to organochlorines that have accumulated in breast milk.

'Our research looks at involuntary exposure to these chemicals in the air, food and water.' The 'most vulnerable members of society', such as unborn babies and developing children were at risk.

Synthetic pesticides could be a major factor in causing breast, testicular and prostate cancer, he said.

Jamie Page, chairman of the Cancer Prevention and Education Society, said the research was 'very important'. He added: 'It is our opinion that if progress is to be made in the fight against cancer, far more attention and effort must be made to reduce human exposure to harmful chemicals.' The research was published in the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.

It also looked at anecdotal evidence suggesting cancer is a disease of industrial societies, because of its comparative rarity among communities such as the Canadian Inuits.

Professor Howard said: ' Preventative measures for these types of cancer have focused on educating the public about the danger of tobacco smoke, improving diet and promoting physical activity.

'We should now be focusing on trying to reduce exposure to problematic chemicals.'

Source: Daily Mail; London (UK)

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