Pesticide Exposure and Self-Reported Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the Agricultural Health Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE -To examine the association between pesticide use during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among wives of licensed pesticide applicators.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Using data from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), we estimated the association between self-reported pesticide-related activities during the first trimester of the most recent pregnancy and GDM among 11,273 women whose pregnancy occurred within 25 years of enrollment.RESULTS -A total of 506 (4.5%) women reported having had GDM. Women who reported agricultural pesticide exposure (mixing or applying pesticides to crops or repairing pesticide application equipment) during pregnancy were more likely to report GDM (odds ratio [OR] 2.2 [95% CI 1.5-3.3]). We saw no association between residential pesticide exposure (applying pesticides in the home and garden during pregnancy) and GDM (1.0 [0.8 -1.3]). Among women who reported agricultural exposure during pregnancy, risk of GDM was associated with ever-use of four herbicides (2,4,5-T; 2,4,5-TP; atrazine; or butylate) and three insecticides (diazinon, phorate, or carbofuran).CONCLUSIONS -These findings suggest that activities involving exposure to agricultural pesticides during the first trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of GDM. Diabetes Care 30:529 -534, 2007

Maternal Arsenic Exposure and Impaired Glucose Tolerance during Pregnancy

“…Using data from the same nationally representative cross-sectional survey of the U.S. population, Navas-Acien and colleagues (2008) found that participants with type 2 diabetes had a 26% higher level of total arsenic (95% CI, 2.0-56.0) and the OR for type 2 diabetes comparing participants at the 80th versus the 20th percentiles was 3.58 for the level of urinary total arsenic (95% CI, 1.18-10.83). One previous study has shown an association with environmental exposures (agricultural pesticides) and increased risk of GD among wives of licensed pesticide applicators (Saldana et al 2007); however, that study relied on self-report of GD and pesticide usage.…”

High prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes in a population exposed to high levels of an organochlorine cocktail

“…Thus the Agricultural Health Study [9] examined 11,273 wives of licensed pesticide applicators, 506 (4.5%) of whom had gestational diabetes mellitus within 25 years of enrolment, while risk of diabetes was shown to be doubled in those involved in agricultural exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy. The Michigan PBB study (25 years of follow-up) showed increased incidence of diabetes in individuals with a PCB level >10.0 parts per billion (∼1,300 ng/g lipid) [8].…”

“…Several reports based on mortality rates analysis [6,7] or on self-reported diabetes also show associations between environmental pollution levels and prediabetes and/or diabetes [8][9][10]. However, in only few studies was diabetes diagnosed with the aid of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (≥126 mg/dl [7.0 mmol/l]), HbA 1c (>6.1%) [9] or random glucose level (≥200 mg/dl=11.1 mmol/l) [11][12][13].…”

“…However, in only few studies was diabetes diagnosed with the aid of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (≥126 mg/dl [7.0 mmol/l]), HbA 1c (>6.1%) [9] or random glucose level (≥200 mg/dl=11.1 mmol/l) [11][12][13]. Our study was conducted within the PCBRISK project in an area of Eastern Slovakia that has been subjected to heavy industrial and agricultural pollution for nearly four decades.…”

Research and outreach can lessen the overall burden of diabetes in farmworkers

“…In the Agricultural Health Study, women who reported agricultural pesticide exposure (by mixing or applying pesticides to crops or repairing pesticide application equipment) were twice as likely to develop gestational diabetes (odds ratio = 2.2 [95% confidence interval = 1.5 -3.3]) (Saldana et al 2007). The most recent findings from this prospective study of nearly 32,000 individuals showed that lifetime cumulative exposure to seven specific chlorinated pesticides increased the likelihood of diabetes (Montgomery et al 2008).…”