Limitations in the evidential basis supporting health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption

Robin Mesnage; Ioannis N. Tsakiris; Michael N. Antoniou; Aristides Tsatsakis

doi:10.1016/j.cotox.2019.11.003

Limitations in the evidential basis supporting health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption

Robin Mesnage^*, Ioannis N. Tsakiris, Michael N. Antoniou, Aristides Tsatsakis

^*Corresponding author for this work

Medical & Molecular Genetics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Consumer demand for organic food is mostly based on the belief that organic products are healthier because they are less contaminated with pesticides. We explain why health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption remain unsubstantiated. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that nonorganic food products contain higher levels of synthetic pesticides. However, a link between the consumption of an organic diet with health benefits is confounded by a number of lifestyle and demographic covariates. We recommend dietary intervention studies be conducted such as randomized double-blind placebo-controlled investigations to determine if a group of individuals consuming an organic wholefood diet or an equivalent nonorganic diet present any differences in health status.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	50-55
Number of pages	6
Journal	Current Opinion in Toxicology
Volume	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2019.11.003
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2020

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title = "Limitations in the evidential basis supporting health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption",

abstract = "Consumer demand for organic food is mostly based on the belief that organic products are healthier because they are less contaminated with pesticides. We explain why health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption remain unsubstantiated. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that nonorganic food products contain higher levels of synthetic pesticides. However, a link between the consumption of an organic diet with health benefits is confounded by a number of lifestyle and demographic covariates. We recommend dietary intervention studies be conducted such as randomized double-blind placebo-controlled investigations to determine if a group of individuals consuming an organic wholefood diet or an equivalent nonorganic diet present any differences in health status.",

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AU - Tsakiris, Ioannis N.

AU - Antoniou, Michael N.

AU - Tsatsakis, Aristides

PY - 2020/2/1

Y1 - 2020/2/1

N2 - Consumer demand for organic food is mostly based on the belief that organic products are healthier because they are less contaminated with pesticides. We explain why health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption remain unsubstantiated. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that nonorganic food products contain higher levels of synthetic pesticides. However, a link between the consumption of an organic diet with health benefits is confounded by a number of lifestyle and demographic covariates. We recommend dietary intervention studies be conducted such as randomized double-blind placebo-controlled investigations to determine if a group of individuals consuming an organic wholefood diet or an equivalent nonorganic diet present any differences in health status.

AB - Consumer demand for organic food is mostly based on the belief that organic products are healthier because they are less contaminated with pesticides. We explain why health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption remain unsubstantiated. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that nonorganic food products contain higher levels of synthetic pesticides. However, a link between the consumption of an organic diet with health benefits is confounded by a number of lifestyle and demographic covariates. We recommend dietary intervention studies be conducted such as randomized double-blind placebo-controlled investigations to determine if a group of individuals consuming an organic wholefood diet or an equivalent nonorganic diet present any differences in health status.

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DO - 10.1016/j.cotox.2019.11.003

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85076030670

SN - 2468-2020

VL - 19

SP - 50

EP - 55

JO - Current Opinion in Toxicology

JF - Current Opinion in Toxicology

ER -

Limitations in the evidential basis supporting health benefits from a decreased exposure to pesticides through organic food consumption

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