A new peer-reviewed study has found no evidence that exposure during pregnancy to traces of pesticides commonly found on fruits and vegetables is linked to autism-related traits in children, a finding that challenges one of the environmental factors Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suggested could be contributing to rising autism rates. The research, published on August 24 in JAMA Pediatrics, examined pesticide metabolites in urine samples collected from pregnant women and later evaluated their children for autism-related social difficulties.
Researchers found no association between the pesticide exposures measured and traits commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder. The findings come as Kennedy has repeatedly cited pesticides among the environmental exposures he believes warrant investigation as possible contributors to autism. The study adds to an ongoing debate about the causes of autism and how to explain an increase in diagnoses across the United States.
While Kennedy has argued that environmental toxins must be playing a major role, many researchers and medical organizations point to a complex mixture of genetic and environmental influences and say there is no evidence that a single factor is responsible. Newsweek reached out to Kennedy for comment via email. The study tracked more than 3,000 mothers who were part of the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.
Researchers from New York University (NYU) analyzed urine samples collected during pregnancy to assess exposure to organophosphate pesticides, chemicals commonly used in agriculture that can leave trace residues on produce. According to the study and accompanying NYU Langone announcement, researchers found that nearly all participating pregnant women had detectable levels of pesticide metabolites, reflecting the widespread presence of these substances in food and the environment. Despite the prevalence of exposure, investigators found no evidence that higher levels were associated with increased autism-related social difficulties in children.
The mothers were enrolled in the study between January 1997 and December 2019. The mothers gave one urine sample during pregnancy and then, years later, filled out a 65-question survey about their child's social behavior. Among the questions asked were how well their child reads other people's feelings and if they struggle with eye contact.
Researchers concluded that prenatal exposure to the organophosphate pesticide metabolites measured in the study did not predict autism-related traits. The findings were notable because they were based on biological measurements of exposure collected during pregnancy rather than estimates based on residential proximity to farms or self-reported dietary habits. However, the authors said they couldn't rule out that the risk of autism could be greater among people with exposure to high levels of pesticides or among people with genetic susceptibilities.
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