American Academy of Pediatrics says organic food no better

CHICAGOThe American Academy of Pediatrics has finally weighed in on organic foods, saying parents who want to reduce their child's pesticide exposure may seek out organic fruits and vegetables -- but that doesn't mean they're safer or healthier than conventional equivalents.

Science hasn't proven that eating pesticide-free food makes people any healthier, the academy said.

"Theoretically there could be negative effects, especially in young children with growing brains," but rigorous scientific evidence is lacking, said Dr. Janet Silverstein, a co-author of the academy's new report and a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

"We just can't say for certain that organics is better without long-term controlled studies," she said.

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The report was published online Monday in Pediatrics and echoes a Stanford University study released last month. That research concluded that while eating organic fruits and vegetables can reduce pesticide exposure, the amount measured in conventionally grown produce was within safety limits.

Since organic foods tend to be costlier, a good strategy for penny-pinching parents concerned about pesticides is to buy only organic versions of foods with the most pesticide residue - including apples, peaches, strawberries and celery, Silverstein said.

A recent report from the Environmental Working Group ranked its "Dirty Dozen" of produce most contaminated with pesticides, placing apples atop the list with 93 percent of samples tested containing two or more pesticides.

14 Photos

Pesticides in produce: Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen"

The pediatricians group says higher prices on organic foods might lead some parents to buy fewer fruits and vegetables - not a good strategy, since both have health benefits including reducing risks for obesity, heart disease and some cancers.

Parents should aim to provide their families a diet rich in fruits and vegetables -- whether organic or not -- along with plenty of whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, the report says.

"This type of diet has proven health benefits," Silverstein said in a press release. "Many families have a limited food budget, and we do not want families to choose to consume smaller amounts of more expensive organic foods and thus reduce their overall intake of healthy foods like produce."

The American Academy of Pediatrics' report on organic foods can be accessed on its web site.

[AndrewBrodsky]

For my site Fact or Fizzle, I reviewed and rated almost all of the recent studies on the safety and nutritional content of organic foods. I found much the same reports reported here -- not a whole lot of compelling evidence to support organic foods. The evidence for nutritional value is mixed, but little evidence supports the claim that people who eat organics are healthier.

http://www.factorfizzle.com

[EffThat]

Looks like someone from Monsanto got to whoever did this "study".

Go ahead and watch this film and then you decide if you want to poison your baby or not.

http://geneticroulettemovie.com/

[EffThat]

Looks like someone from Monsanto got to whoever did this "study".

Go ahead and watch this film and then you decide if you want to poison your baby or not.

http://geneticroulettemovie.com/

[rogge31]

This report is really irresponsible on so many levels and I'm sure it will be broadcast all over the evening news on each network. This negates to even address pesticides, the health and well being of farm animals which are fed GMO foods, the health and well being of the planet that is saturated in chemicals. The timing is interesting as well - with Prop 37 up for vote in California. It shouldn't take studies to recognize eating foods sprayed with chemicals probably isn't good. And it shouldn't take studies to recognize that eating genetically modified corn, soy, tomatoes, bananas, pineapples, rice - just to name a few of what we grow here in the US - probably isn't as healthy as a good old tomato mother nature provides. It's really disheartening.

[Shelley591]

It really doesn't surprise me that there is no actually PROOF that organic food is better for us. It is not non-organic food that is making people obese and unhealthy, it is the high content of trans and saturated fat we now consume.
I read an article at how2reducefatfast.com recently that covers this very subject. There was a list of 5 easy things to eat less of, and more of which is very easy to implement. Diets can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. Simply put - a diet rich in fruit and veg, and low in "bad" fats is a good one, regardless of whether the food is organic or not. Combine a diet like that with a cardio routine 3 times a week and you are onto a winner.

[EffThat]

Research "round-up ready crops". The way they kill the bugs is killing our gastrointestinal systems flora, which in turn requires proton pumps to turn on just to digest, manifesting in the form of acid reflux "disease". The disease is Monsanto.

[KnowGMO]

Wow, makes you wonder how much these medical professionals have been paid to push these corporations' agendas. It's common sense that organic food works better in our similarly organic bodies. So I suppose they're trusting in the American people to assume that the American Academy of Pediatrics knows more than they do themselves. They dont. Everyone needs to stop listening to this corporate garbage.

[rogge31]

Hey there,
have you watched the new documentary called Genetic Roulette - The Gamble of Our Lives? It's free for viewing till October 31st and mind blowing. If you haven;t you might enjoy it, and pass it on. The truth needs to come out.

[JerChi]

The use of synthetic pesticides increased dramatically after WWII along with cancer rates. Since many pesticides contain carcinogens, we should fully understand them before we assume they are okay.

[deseriessancho]

fear of Monsanto lawyers lawsuits going to sue them and advertizing dollars lost

[gil30062]

It is incredible how a Medical professional is more comfortable sounding like a lawyer lobbyist by saying "there is nor scientific proof..." My God does this woman not understand how stupid she sounds by using these terms to protect the use of pesticides? Would it not be reasonable for a Medical professional to say " while there are no studies available yet, it is reasonable to assume that the use of pesticides will likely produce toxic reactions is some part of the population and may in some cases produce systemic problems, or potentially act as triggers for diseases." Simple, why does North America lead the world in Cancer per capita by leaps and bounds? I guess we need to wait for scientific studies to make logical conclusions as to why that fact is rampant in our continent. Some people are just too smart for their own good. Common sense people, if you eat poison, poison will at some point impact your body, its just a question of how severe.

[srebelo]

OK, because there haven't been any studies to test the long term effects, DOES NOT mean that there isn't a benefit. Just because you haven't been able to study it, doesn't mean it isn't benefiting the growing brains of our children. Also, pesticides are part of the equation, what about anti-bio-tics and hormones found in meat. The last 2 media reports on organics don't mention meats at all. It seems there is a full assault on the organic industry because of the higher costs. I will continue to vote with my $$ in support of pasture raised animals, foods that aren't sprayed with pesticides that not only (most likely) harm the young who eat it, but leak into the environment and cause many other issues in our Eco system.