The Health and Wellness

Effects of Organic diets

Dr Liza OatesCourse co-ordinator for ‘Food as Medicine’ and ‘Wellness Practices

& Perspectives’, Master of Wellness program (online)

* liza.oates@rmit.edu.au

Research Supervisors:

Prof Marc Cohen, Ass Prof Lesley Braun

Integrative Medicine Education and Research (IMER)

Group / AIMA SeminarWednesday 7 August, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne

What is ‘Organic’?

The National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic

Produce 2009 (The Standard) defines organic as:

“the application of practices that emphasise the:

◦ use of renewable resources; and

◦ conservation of energy, soil and water; and

◦ recognition of livestock welfare needs; and

◦ environmental maintenance and

enhancement

while producing optimum quantities of produce

without the use of artificial fertiliser or synthetic

chemicals.”

Australian Organic Market Report 2012

65% of households

purchased some organic

14% spend >50% on

organics

85-95% believe in the

benefits of organics

(especially chemical-free

benefits)

Monk, A., Mascitelli, B., Lobo, A., Chen, J., & Bez, N. (2012). Australian Organic Market Report 2012.

Lockie S, Lyons K, Lawrence G, Grice J. Choosing organics: a path analysis of factors underlying the selection of organic food among Australian consumers. Appetite 2004;43(2):135-46.

Organic food in Australia is “sold either in significant quantities to a comparatively small

number of people, or in small quantities to a substantially larger number of people.”

Conflicting reviews “There is no good evidence that increased dietary intake, of the

nutrients identified in this review to be present in larger amounts in organically than in conventionally produced crops and livestock products, would be of benefit to individuals consuming a normal varied diet, and it is therefore unlikely that these differences in nutrient content are relevant to consumer health.” (FSA Report 2009)[1]

“organic plant products contain more dry matter and minerals (Fe, Mg); and contain more anti-oxidant micronutrients such as phenols and salicylic acid…organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids” [2]

“in organic produce the content of secondary metabolites is 12% higher than in corresponding conventional samples (P < 0.0001).” [3]

“Studies were heterogeneous and limited in number, and publication bias may be present. The published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods.” (Stanford University review) [4]

1. Dangour, AD et al. (2009). Comparison of composition (nutrients and other substances) of organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs: a systematic

review of the available literature: Food Standards Agency (U.K.)

2. Lairon, D. (2010). Nutritional quality and safety of organic food. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 30(1), 33-41.

3. Brandt, K., et al. (2011). Agroecosystem Management and Nutritional Quality of Plant Foods: The Case of Organic Fruits and Vegetables. Critical Reviews in

Plant Sciences, 30(1-2), 177-197.

4. Smith-Spangler, C, et al. (2012). Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med, 157(5), 348-366.

Health Effects of Organic Diets

↓ risk of infantile eczema (>90% organic dairy products)[1]

↓ rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema, and atopic sensitisation among Steiner school children (anthroposophic lifestyle including organic food)[2,3]

↓ fat mass; improved lean body mass in CKD participants (14 days organic vs. conventional Mediterranean diet) [4]

? ↑ risk Campylobacter jejuni infection (organic meat in winter) [5]

Animal studies - differences in reproductive performance, developmental rate and immune responses for animals (organic compared to conventional feed) [6,7]

1. Kummeling, I., et al. (2008). Consumption of organic foods and risk of atopic disease during the first 2 years of life in the Netherlands. Br J Nutr 99(3):

598-605.

2. Alfvén, T., et al. (2006). Allergic diseases and atopic sensitization in children related to farming and anthroposophic lifestyle – the PARSIFAL study.

Allergy, 61(4), 414-421.

3. Floistrup, H., et al. (2006). Allergic disease and sensitization in Steiner school children. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 117(1), 59-66.

4. De Lorenzo, A., et al. (2010). The effects of Italian Mediterranean organic diet (IMOD) on health status. Curr Pharm Des, 16(7), 814-824.

5. Gillespie, I. A., et al.(2003). Point source outbreaks of Campylobacter jejuni infection--are they more common than we think and what might cause

them? Epidemiol Infect, 130(3), 367-375.

6. Velimirov, A., et al. (2010). Feeding trials in organic food quality and health research. J Sci Food Agric, 90(2), 175-182.

7. Huber, M., at al. (2010). Effects of organically and conventionally produced feed on biomarkers of health in a chicken model. Br J Nutr, 103(5), 663-676.

Self-reported Health The Netherlands (Survey, 566 organic consumers) [1]

More energy, better resistance to illness, positive effects on mental wellbeing, improved gastrointestinal function, improved condition of skin, hair and/or nails, fewer allergic complaints and improved satiety

Poland (Survey, 200 females, >25% organic vs. conventional diet) [2]

Less infectious disease and headache; fewer digestive, circulatory and skin complaints; less hospitalisations and cancers

Germany (17 nuns, 59-80years, 4-week biodynamic diet vs. 4-week conventional diet)

Biodynamic (organic) phase - improved concentration, fewer headaches/ migraines, lower blood pressure; improved appetite, sleep, stress resistance and immunity (fewer T-helper cells, more natural killer cells)

1. van de Vijver, Lucy P. L., & van Vliet, Marja E. T. (2012). Health effects of an organic diet—consumer experiences in the Netherlands. Journal

of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92(14), 2923-2927.

2. Rembialkowska, E,. et al (2008). Different aspects of organic and conventional food consumers' lifestyle. New Medicine, 12(1), 16-19.

3. Huber, K, et al. (2005). Ernährungs-Qualitätsstudie (Klosterstudie)(in German). Paper presented at the Ende der Nische. Beiträge zur 8.

Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau. (Cited in Meier-Ploeger, A. (2005). Organic Farming Food Quality and Human Health.

http://www.uni-kassel.de/agrar/nue/img/publication/alnarp-amp.pdf)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Resistanceto/ recoveryfrom illness

PhysicalEnergy

Condition ofskin / hair /

nails

Mentalalertness

Moodstability

Sense ofsatiety

Fitness/ability toexercise

Ability tocope withstressfulsituations

Behaviouralstability

Weight Sleep

Wellness factors reported to have improved since moving to organic food

A lot better A little better

Organic Health & Wellness Survey, 2011

“How much of this is a placebo affect I could not

say, but there is something psychologically

benefiting from eating organic and feeling good

about that, and this seems to transfer to physical

wellbeing.” (OHWS Participant)

Organic consumers

believe organic food

is healthier due to the

lack of pesticides

89.3%

58.1%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

produced without

pesticides

more nutrients

Strong influence

Beliefs that influence purchasing

behaviour

Results from: Organic Consumption Survey and Organic Health & Wellness Survey

What motivates consumers to eat organic food?

Pesticide exposure Pesticide health effects - neurological, reproductive,

respiratory, metabolic and mental health effects, as well as cancer [1,2]

Animal studies - effects on weight control mechanisms, insulin resistance, sleep & immune function [3]

Acute poisoning - 3 million accidental or intentional pesticide poisonings occur each year (~260,000 deaths) mostly in developing countries [4-6]

These figures do not account for

chronic or cumulative health effects

effects from exposure during critical periods of development

1. Sanborn, M., et al. (2012). 2012 Systematic Review of Pesticide Human Health Effects. Retrieved from

http://www.ocfp.on.ca/local/files/Communications/Current%20Issues/Pesticides/Final%20Paper%2023APR2004.pdf

2. Weichenthal, S., et al. A review of pesticide exposure and cancer incidence in the agricultural health study cohort. Environ. Health Perspect. 2010, 118, 1117-

1125.

3. Oates L, Cohen M. Assessing Diet as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Pesticide Exposure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

2011;8(6):1792-804.

4. Gunnell, D., et al. The global distribution of fatal pesticide self-poisoning: Systematic review. BMC Public Health 2007, 7, 357

5. Kesavachandran, CN., et al. Adverse health effects of pesticides in agrarian populations of developing countries. Rev. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 2009, 200,

33-52.

6. London, L. Neurobehavioural methods, effects and prevention: Workers’ human rights are why the field matters for developing countries. Neurotoxicology

2009, 30, 1135-1143.

Exposure during critical

developmental periods

Sons of women occupationally exposed to

pesticides have

a statistically significant decrease in penile length

a trend towards reduced testicular volume and

serum concentrations of testosterone

This is despite specific safeguards to protect

pregnant farm workers

Andersen, H.R., et al. Impaired reproductive development in sons of women occupationally exposed to pesticides during pregnancy. Environ. Health Perspect.

2008, 116, 566-572.

Exposure to organophosphates (OPs)

Long-term occupational exposure to low levels of OPs

impairs neurobehavioral function including:

psychomotor speed

executive function

visuospatial ability

working and visual memory 1

Prenatal OP exposure has been associated with:

poorer intellectual development 2

increased prevalence of ADHD 3

shortened gestation & reduced birth-weight 4

1. Ross, S. M., et al. (2013). Neurobehavioral problems following low-level exposure to organophosphate pesticides: a systematic and meta-analytic review. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 43(1),

21-44.

2. Bouchard, M. F., et al. (2011). Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and IQ in 7-Year Old Children. Environ Health Perspect 119(8), 1189-1195.

3. Bouchard, M. F., et al. (2010). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides. Pediatrics 125(6), e1270 -e1277.

4. Rauch, S. A., et al. (2012). Associations of Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticide Metabolites with Gestational Age and Birthweight. Environ Health Perspect, 120(7), 1055-1060.

Do organic diets reduce pesticide exposure?

Children (USA) 1

• organic fruits, vegetables and juice → ↓ non-specific urinary OP

metabolites (DAPs)

Children’s Pesticide Exposure Study (USA) 2,3

• 5 days of mostly organic food → specific OP residues reduced

to non-detectable / close to non-detectable levels

• 50% reduction in pyrethroid insecticide exposure

1. Curl C, Fenske R, Elgethun K. Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of urban and suburban preschool children with organic and conventional diets. Environ Health Perspect 2003;111(3):377-82.

2. Lu C, Barr DB, Pearson MA, Waller LA. Dietary intake and its contribution to longitudinal organophosphorus pesticide exposure in urban/suburban children. Environ Health Perspect

2008;116(4):537-42.

3. Lu C, Barr DB, Pearson MA, Walker LA, Bravo R. The attribution of urban and suburban children's exposure to synthetic pyrethroid insecticides: a longitudinal assessment. J Expo Sci Environ

Epidemiol 2009;19(1):69-78.

• No detections for DMP in organic phase

• Only 3 quantifiable detections for dimethyl DAPs in organic phase

• Statistically significant difference for DMP and DMTP

• Trend for DMDTP

• No statistically significant differences for any diethyl DAPs

• Total DAPs & Total Dimethyl DAPs significantly higher in conventional cf.

organic phase

• Mean Total DAP results - 89% reduction in organic phase cf.

conventional phase

• Mean Total Dimethyl DAP results - 96% reduction in organic phase

• Mean Total Diethyl DAP results - 49% reduction in organic phase (NS)

BMT Preliminary Results

Comparison with other studies

Previous study comparing DAPs in children consuming organic or conventional food also reported a significant difference for Total Dimethyl but not Total Diethyl DAPs [1]

Mean DAP levels in conventional phase substantially lower than recent Australian study in children [2]

1.Curl C, Fenske R, Elgethun K. Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of urban and suburban preschool children with organic and conventional diets. Environ Health Perspect 2003;111(3):377-82.

2.Babina K, Dollard M, Pilotto L, Edwards JW. Environmental exposure to organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in South Australian preschool children: a cross sectional study. Environ Int

2012;48:109-20.

Limitations

Small sample

Food estimation methods may not be precise

Regional differences in pesticide use and

food availability

Biomonitoring methods may be flawed

DAPs only reflect OP exposure

DAP presence does not necessarily infer harm

More research required to confirm effects

• Research on the health effects of organic diets is limited

• Consumers appear more interested in avoiding pesticides

than added nutrients

• Consuming an organic diet for one week reduced OP

exposure in Australian adults (~90%)

• Future large scale studies in varying locations required to

confirm results and determine clinical relevance

• Future research should incorporate a wholistic approach

to fully capture the potential of organic diets to positively

impact health

Summary

Special Thanks

Acknowledgement: This biomonitoring trial was supported in part by

a research restricted donation from Bharat Mitra, co-founder of

Organic India Pty Ltd to RMIT University. The organisation had no

input into the design of the study, or the interpretation and reporting

of the results. The primary researcher received an Australian

Postgraduate Award scholarship.

Dr Adrian Schembri

James Baglin

Prof Neil Mann

and the Participants