Are California Children Healthy?

Are California Children Healthy? To answer this question, Dr. Davidson reviews a series of studies that looks at the highest environmental sources of toxic contaminants to which children are routinely exposed.

• In a recent study, the diets of California children (ages two – seven) were analyzed to determine the carcinogenic and other deleterious health effects from exposure to contaminants in food.
• Indeed, the main route of exposure to heavy metals toxins, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and pesticides is likely to be food.
• Because the body’s of children are still developing and, they have greater intake of food and fluids per unit of body weight compared to adults, children are most vulnerable to these food-borne contaminants and the diseases they cause.
• Cancer, asthma, lead poisoning, neurobehavioral disorders (eg. Autism), learning and developmental disabilities (eg. ADHD), and birth defects are just some of the serious detriments that have been linked to environmental toxin exposures that are largely preventable.
• The good news is that changing the diet can change the level of exposure to these toxins.As one researcher explained, “A diet high in fish and animal products, for example, results in greater exposure to persistent pollutants like DDT and dioxins and heavy metals than does a plant-based diet because these compounds bioaccumulate up the food chain.”
• Unfortunately, this sample of kids was not eating foods from the bottom of the food chain (plants).
• Cancer benchmark levels were exceeded by all 364 children in this study for arsenic, a banned pesticide called dieldrin, a metabolite of DDT called DDE, and dioxins.
• Children exceeded safety levels for all toxins by a greater margin than adults.
• Because all of these compounds are suspected endocrine disruptors and thus may interfere with normal child development, this is of paramount concern for children.
• “Cancer risk ratios were exceeded by over a factor of 100 for arsenic and dioxins.”
• So which foods were the most contaminated?
• For preschoolers:
  • –#1 food source of arsenic was poultry (it was tuna for their parents)
  • –#1 source for lead was dairy
  • –#1 source for mercury was seafood
  • –#1 source of the banned pesticides and dioxins was dairy

• Men had higher levels of some of these pollutants than women, as shown in a similar study in Europe.
• Interestingly, if you only looked at women who never breastfed, their levels were on par with those of men, and women who breastfed for over a year had the lowest levels.
• As one researcher points out, “It is therefore likely that the lactation-related reduction in blood pollutant levels partly explains the lower body burdens among women compared with men.”
• In other words, by excreting some of these toxins into their milk (which we drink), cow’s can reduce their levels. Unfortunately, human mothers can do the same with their children.
• Beyond being carcinogenic, theses pollutants have a number of other detrimental health effects.
• They can affect the immune system. One researcher notes, “Studies clearly demonstrate the ability of dioxins and related compounds to have a long-lasting and deleterious impact on immune function.”
• This translates into “increased incidences of respiratory infections, ear infections, cough, and sore throat.”
• Studies indicate that the immunosuppressive effects of these toxins may persist from infancy into early childhood.
• These pollutants accumulate in animal fat.
• Therefore, the researchers concluded that a plant-based diet and decreased meat, dairy, and fish consumption will reduce exposure for both children and adults.

References:

• S B.Stolevik, U C Nygaard, E Namork, M Haugen, H M Meltzer, J Alexander, H K Knutsen, I Aaberge, K Vainio, H van Loveren, M.Lovik, B Granum. Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins from the maternal diet may be associated with immunosuppressive effects that persist into early childhood. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 51:165 – 172.

• R Vogt, D Bennett, D Cassady, J Frost, B Ritz, I Hertz-Picciotto. Cancer and non-cancer health effects from food contaminant exposures for children and adults in California: A risk assessment. Environ Health. 2012 11:83.

• B Winans, M C Humble, B P Lawrence. Environmental toxicants and the developing immune system: A missing link in the global battle against infectious disease? Reprod Toxicol. 2011 31(3):327 – 336.

• S B Stolevik, U C Nygaard, E Namork, M Haugen, H E Kvalem, H M Meltzer, J Alexander, J H M van Delft, H van Loveren, M Lovik, B Granum. Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins is associated with increased risk of wheeze and infections in infants. Food Chem Toxicol. 2011 49(8):1843 – 1848.

• Bjermo H, Darnerud PO, Lignell S, Pearson M, Rantakokko P, Nälsén C, Enghardt Barbieri H, Kiviranta H, Lindroos AK, Glynn A. Fish intake and breastfeeding time are associated with serum concentrations of organochlorines in a Swedish population. Environ Int. 2013 Jan;51:88-96.