Link found Between Pesticides and Type-2 Diabetes

University of Granada, Spain, conducted a new research which shows that there is a relationship between pesticides and type-2 diabetes. According to the study, researchers say that pesticides present in air, water and food may be the cause of type-2 diabetes. Pesticides and similar substances tend to concentrate in body fat, that’s why people with obesity problems are at a high risk of development of type-2 diabetes; the more fat in the body, the higher the pesticide concentrations, which may lead to the development of type-2 diabetes in these individuals. The research also showed that the age of a person and gender doesn’t matter but only the amount of fat present in the body matters as the leading cause of developing type-2 diabetes.

The job of pesticides is to kill insects and disease causing bacteria, but pesticides do not stop their job after they are consumed by human beings. Pesticides are dangerous for human beings as well as other living beings; the common thing with which pesticides enter into the human body is food. Chemicals like DDT are now illegal to use because they increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes and are harmful for other animals also. However, it still finds its way in the food chain, along with other similar harmful substances. Farmers use other types of pesticides to kill insects and bugs now instead of using DDT.

The journal Environmental Research report shows that the risk of developing type-2 diabetes is four times greater for people with higher concentrations of DDE – which is the main metabolite in the pesticide DDT. According to a Granada statement, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes is also linked with exposure to beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane.

The research was carried out on 386 subjects at San Cecilio Hospital, Granada and Santa Ana Hospital, Motril, Spain. In the research, Arrebola and his colleagues analyzed the concentration of a specific group of COPs in the fat tissue of subjects. “Human adipose tissue (fat) acts as an energy reservoir and has an important metabolic function. However, adipose tissue can store potentially harmful substances, such as persistent organic pollutants (COPs-pesticides)” said Juan Pedro Arrebola, Granada researcher.

“The mechanism of action by which COPs increases the risk of diabetes is still unknown. However, some researchers have suggested that COPs might cause an immunological response when they penetrate estrogen receptors in tissues associated with the metabolism of sugars,” he added.

COPs are a group of chemicals which are present in pesticides; these compounds have diverse characteristics and they enter the human body through food, air and water.

According to an estimate, 4.4% people of this world will have type-2 diabetes by 2030. Authors of the study said, “we are an example of clinical research focused on common diseases with a high impact on health“.

Apart from its effect on causing type-2 diabetes, DDT and pesticides also have other harmful effects. Due to this reason, more and more people are turning towards producing and consuming organic fruits and vegetables to stay healthy and to avoid taking harmful substances in their diet.