May 17, 2010 7:10 a.m. EDT
(Health.com) — Children exposed to higher levels of a type of pesticide found in trace amounts on commercially grown fruit and vegetables are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than children with less exposure, a nationwide study suggests.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Kids with above-average levels of a common pesticide byproduct had twice ADHD risk
- Direct cause-and-effect link “really hard to establish,” expert says
- Study is first to examine the effects of pesticide exposure in population at large
