Viewpoint: Eating organic food reduces diabetes risk? Evidence is ‘rather thin’

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A recent prospective study finds an inverse association between eating organic and the risk of type 2 diabetes. But the authors’ conclusions are more reserved than what we can read in the press.

Cited in the preamble by scientists, previous data suggests that occasional exposure to pesticides has been associated with metabolic disorders. Indeed, in the cited review, associations emanating from cross-sectional studies, cohorts and clinical cases exist between the different types of pesticides and diabetes, in particular concerning organochlorine compounds.

The limits mentioned by the scientists at the end of their research have already been cited in the article as the fact that it is an observational study, [and] that the population is not representative of the general population.

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Without having precise answers at the present time, we can recognize that the evidence concerning the influence of organic food on health is rather thin.

This is where we need to take a step back from the sterile and fruitless debate of the “pro” against the “anti”. The organic industry needs to abandon its opposition to all that is synthetic, because this distinction is irrelevant to questions of health. Let’s not forget that organic farming also uses pesticides.

[Editor’s note: This article was originally written in French and has been translated and edited for clarity.]

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