Pesticide exposure carries increased risk of T2D

Individuals exposed to organochlorine- or pyrethroid-based pesticides may be at heightened risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), as suggested in a study.

Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. They searched multiple online databases for observational studies in which the relationship between pesticide exposure and T2D was examined.

A random-effects model was applied in the meta-analysis, and the presence of heterogeneity and biases was assessed across the available studies.

A total of 19 studies, of which 12 were case-control and seven were cross-sectional, met the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. These studies involved a sum of 45,813 participants.

Pooled data showed that compared with nonexposure, pesticide exposure was associated with 19-percent greater odds of T2D when not limiting pesticide types (odds ratio [OR], 1.19, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.28).

When the specific chemicals in pesticides were examined, the odds of T2D were found to be increased with pyrethroid (OR, 1.17, 95 percent CI, 1.05–1.30) as well as with organochlorine (OR, 1.26, 95 percent CI, 1.11–1.43). No significant association was observed between herbicide exposure and T2D (OR, 1.26, 95 percent CI, 0.91–1.75).

Of note, the association between pesticide exposure and T2D was stronger among older adults (OR, 1.25, 95 percent CI, 1.14–1.38), with no statistically significant heterogeneity among studies (I2, 14.2 percent; p=0.323).