Pesticide overuse could be linked to mounting incidence of diabetes

by Carol Aloysius

Fruits and vegetables tainted with excessive doses of agro chemicals could be the cause of the rising incidence of diabetes, a senior Health Official from the National Poisons Unit of the General Hospital, told the Sunday Observer. The current peak of diabetes which is now the second leading cause for morbidity in the country, is probably due to the liberal use of pesticides, weedicides and other agro chemicals used by vegetable and fruit farmers and on pastureland", he said.

"These are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) which are non biodegradable. Our latest evidence on diabetes and its causes indicate there could be a link." Agro chemicals in pastureland seep into the bodies of grazing animals.

Similarly, many fruit and vegetable farmers use pesticides and even coat fruits with pesticide to give them a fresh look. "These agro chemicals are fat soluble and enter our body through the food chain and accumulate in our fat cells. This can cause insulin resistance leading to diabetes", he said. Pesticide and agro chemical use in India could also be one cause for the mounting incidence of diabetes in a country where most people were farmers, he said.

"Fruits and vegetables are essential for health and we need to introduce stiff legislation for those using agro chemicals in farms and educate farmers on their toxic effects and the quantities they should use to prevent non communicable diseases such as diabetes", he said.