Latest news with #peerreviewed
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Exposure to a mix of pesticides raises risk of pregnancy complications, study suggests
Exposure to multiple pesticides increases the chances of pregnancy complications compared to exposure to just one pesticide, new peer-reviewed research suggests. The findings raise new questions about the safety of exposure to widely used pesticides and herbicides in food and agricultural communities. The study, which bio-monitored pregnant women in a heavily agricultural state in Argentina, adds to recent-but-limited evidence pointing to heightened dangers in mixtures of pesticides. The authors say research into how pesticide mixtures impact human health is important because the vast majority of studies look at exposure to a single pesticide, and regulations on the substances' use are developed based on toxicity to just one. However, people are frequently exposed to multiple pesticides in non-organic meals, or when living in agricultural regions around the world. Studying exposure to those mixtures and other environmental factors is 'essential' to protecting people's health, said the authors, with the National University of the Littoral in Argentina. 'The concept of the exposome, which encompasses all lifetime environmental exposures, underscores the importance of studying pesticides as mixtures rather than in isolation,' the authors wrote. The study comes on the heels of University of Nebraska research that found state cancer records and bio-monitoring data showed that exposure to multiple pesticides could increase the chances of children developing brain cancer by about 36%. The new study checked for pesticides in the urine of nearly 90 pregnant women in Santa Fe, Argentina, a heavily agricultural region, and monitored their pregnancy outcomes. About 40 different pesticides were detected. At least one pesticide was found in the urine of 81% of women, and 64% showed multiple pesticides. Of those, 34% had pregnancy complications. The number of women living in urban areas who had at least one pesticide in their body was only slightly lower than those in rural districts, suggesting that food is also a meaningful exposure route. But about 70% of women in rural settings showed multiple pesticides, compared to 55% of women in urban settings, highlighting a greater risk among the former. Rural participants were over twice as likely to have pregnancy-related complications compared to urban, in part because they are more frequently exposed to mixtures. The Santa Fe region grows dozens of crops, including lettuce, cabbage, chicory, tomato, parsley, spinach, carrot, bell pepper, potato and strawberry, and the wide range of crops leads to the use of more pesticides, the authors wrote. 'The increased prevalence of pregnancy-related complications among rural participants highlights the need for a comprehensive review of pesticide use protocols, exposure limits and health risk assessments in agriculture and horticulture programs,' the authors said. Gestational hypertension was among the most common pregnancy-related complications, and the most common outcome was intrauterine growth restriction, a condition in which the fetus does not grow to a normal weight during pregnancy. The findings may also point to dangers in the type of pesticide to which women are exposed, the authors wrote. Those who had complications showed higher levels of triazole fungicides, a pesticide class that is widely used on crops like corn, soybeans and wheat. Some previous evidence suggests it's a reproductive toxicant, and the authors say their findings show the need for more research on the class's potential effects. Though not all the same pesticides are used in the US or other countries as in Argentina, the use of triazole fungicides increased four-fold in the US between 2006 and 2016, especially in the southeast and midwest. Still, it has drawn little regulatory scrutiny. Exposure to mixtures of pesticides in general 'is the rule, not the exception', said Nathan Donley, a pesticides researcher with the Center for Biological Diversity, who was not involved with the study. 'For the most part we have absolutely no clue how different mixtures interact in utero, in a child or in an adult,' Donley said. 'Some mixtures probably aren't doing much of anything, others are probably causing significant harm that we have not identified yet.' There is little regulatory oversight of pesticide mixtures in the US, in part because determining health impacts of mixtures is complicated, Donley added. 'The US tends to just default that it's all safe until proven otherwise, and since there is very little research on pesticide mixtures, it's rarely proven otherwise,' Donley said, adding that the unknown risks calls for the use of greater precaution. The authors note that the paper's sample size is small, and the findings point to the need for a larger bio-monitoring study. 'Greater efforts are required to deepen and expand the evaluation of human exposure to pesticides in vulnerable populations,' the authors wrote.
Medical News Today
01-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
How to find reliable sources of health information
Reliable health information online uses high quality, recent, peer-reviewed research. People should look for balanced information and site transparency and avoid websites that use sensationalism or fear to balanced, credible, and inclusive health content from reliable sources allows people to make informed decisions about their health. This may also help people feel more confident going into discussions with their healthcare misinformation online can be challenging due to the sheer amount of contradictory information available. Misinformation is false or misleading information that may deliberately aim to deceive is no single way to confirm a site's reliability. However, the following tips and advice can help a person evaluate an online source's health information onlinePeople can assess the website, the content itself, and the sourcing of health content online to ensure they are reading reliable website itselfReliable sources of health information will be transparent about their intentions, ownership, and contact information. They may have an 'about us' section outlining their that are trying to sell a product or service may be less reliable than websites that aim to explain or inform people. This is because they may favor the product or service they want to sell rather than offering a balanced at a website's privacy policy and how they use personal information can also indicate their reliability. The National Institute on Aging suggests that looking at a website's URL or web address may be helpful to identify the type of source it is:government agency URLs end in .goveducational institute URLs end in .edunonprofit organization URLs typically end in .orgpersonal blogs and commercial website URLs may end in .comThe URL does not guarantee whether all information on the site is reliable, but it may be a good place to contentReliable health content will be balanced, inclusive, and supported by high quality research. People should try to avoid content that uses the following:Sensationalism: Sensationalized content may use shocking and exciting language to catch a reader's attention rather than prioritizing accurate, balanced tactics: A website may use misleading or exaggerated content to scare people and persuade them to believe a particular bias: Sites may use language or limited research that only supports a certain perspective rather than offering balanced information and allowing the reader to and review processesReliable sources of health information will have evidence of research. This may be in the form of in-line citations or a source list that links to high quality studies and reviews that support or match the content's may also be a good idea to look at who wrote the content and their experience, if possible. Reliable sources will be transparent about when the content was written or updated and their review process. A recent review by a healthcare professional with expertise in the subject can be a good indicator of the content's quality. Medical research is constantly changing. Reliable sources of health information will carry out regular reviews to reflect Medical News Today a reliable site?Creating trustworthy content is at the core of MNT's mission. We prioritize up-to-date, in-depth health information to provide readers with a deeper understanding of their are some ways MNT works to create trustworthy, accurate, and reliable content:An established editorial processMedical News Today uses an established editorial process that focuses on the following four pillars in all of our content:learning and maintaining trusthigh journalistic standardsprioritizing accuracy, empathy, and inclusioncontinually monitoring and updating contentRead more about MNT's editorial evidence-based, medically accurate contentMNT's Medical Affairs team consists of a diverse group of healthcare professionals from all corners of the healthcare industry. As well as evaluating the medical accuracy of our content before publication, the Medical Affairs team stays up to date with the latest advances in healthcare to provide readers with the most accurate, reliable information. Read more about MNT's Medical Affairs diversity and inclusionMNT is committed to amplifying and engaging with diverse voices when researching health information and creating content. We use conscious language to promote inclusion and equity when helping people understand their more about MNT's approach to content media and advocacy groupsHealth information on social media sites is often brief, which can make it harder to evaluate its reliability. However, it is a good idea to look for the same markers of reliability as any other website. For example:Is the content promoting something or earning the creator money?Is the creator transparent about any funding they receive?Does the creator provide any sources to support their claims?Does the creator have any proven healthcare credentials?Does the content use shocking or exaggerated language?Does the content offer a balanced view?If social media content involves a personal testimony or anecdote, it is important to remember that this is only one case. It does not guarantee that every person with the same health issue or situation will have the same groupsAdvocacy groups involve people with similar experiences. They may hope to promote a certain health issue or simply support one can create an advocacy group. Because they tend to focus on a single health topic or condition, there may also be a risk of bias. People can look for the same signs of reliability listed above when using content on advocacy group websites.»Learn more:How to advocate for yourself at the doctor's officeFinding and understanding peer-reviewed researchPeer review is a process in which an expert in a particular field reviews the work of another expert to assess its quality before publication. Experts consider peer-reviewed work the gold standard in scientific can search for peer-reviewed studies and reviews in databases such as the National Center for Biotechnology it is still important to consider the limitations of studies and research. Questions to ask may include:How old is the study or the research in the review?Is the study on cells, animals, or humans?What is the participant sample size?Does the study contain a diverse range of candidates?What uncontrolled variables might have affected the results?Has the study revealed a causal link or observed a correlation between two things?Is more research necessary on the subject?Predatory journalsPredatory journals misrepresent their publishing practices but claim to be legitimate. They may:violate copyrightfalsely claim to use peer reviewshide or misrepresent information about its publication or the editorial boardPredatory journals are not a reliable source of health information and typically prioritize profits over accurate, high quality a journal's editorial board, publishing processes, and contact information can help people identify predatory with a healthcare professionalSpeaking with a trusted healthcare professional is a good way to learn reliable health information tailored to a person's circumstances. Some people may prefer getting multiple opinions to feel fully informed about their health can also discuss health information they've found online with their healthcare team. A healthcare professional may also be able to recommend reputable sources of information for the person to use.»Learn more:Getting a second opinion without a referralFrequently asked questionsAre government health websites always the most reliable sources?Government health websites can be a good starting point for finding reliable health information. However, it is still a good idea for people to check the publication date, review process, and health websites can be a good starting point for finding reliable health information. However, it is still a good idea for people to check the publication date, review process, and should someone do if they find contradictory health information online?If someone finds contradictory health information online, people can check:the quality of the references or sources that each site useswhen the information was published, updated, or reviewedif other reputable sources support one of the viewsif a healthcare professional recommends one source over the otherIf someone finds contradictory health information online, people can check:the quality of the references or sources that each site useswhen the information was published, updated, or reviewedif other reputable sources support one of the viewsif a healthcare professional recommends one source over the otherSummaryFinding reliable health content and avoiding misinformation online is increasingly challenging. However, people can take steps to assess the websites they use and the content they the publication date, the quality of the references, who reviewed the information, and the website's in doubt, it is a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional. They can help a person understand the information they have found and recommend other reputable sources.
