title: Relationship between environmental exposure to pesticides and anthropometric outcomes of boys in the rural Western Cape, South Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rural residents in the Western Cape (WC), South Africa (SA) are highly exposed to agricultural pesticides that could impact their reproductive development. However, epidemiological evidence of the effect of pesticides on pubertal growth is contradictory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of pesticide exposure measured using indices of environmental exposure to pesticides on the pubertal growth of boys in rural WC, SA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 269 boys (177 of whom gave a history of residing on farms) was conducted. A questionnaire was administered, height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated. A proximity index (PI) and spraying index (SI) was developed, measuring the lifetime average home distance from pesticide spraying and average frequency of spraying pesticides on a farm, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age of boys was 12.4 years (interquartile range 9.5 - 13.3). More than 60% boys had height and weight <50th percentile for age. After adjusting for confounders, PI was significantly associated with shorter stature and lower weight (-1.7 cm/10-fold decrease, p=0.02 and -1.24 kg/10-fold decrease, p=0.04; respectively) and SI was non-significantly associated (-1.4 cm/10-fold increase, p=0.05 and -1.1 cm/10-fold increase, p=0.06; respectively). Associations were stronger for boys aged <11 years and were weaker when excluding non- farm boys. There were no other associations between outcome and exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of quantitative exposure indices showed that lower heights and weights might be associated with pesticide exposure in farm boys v. non-farm boys, but not among farm boys. Lower anthropometric measurements among farm boys v. non-farm boys appear stronger at a younger age. The indices of environmental exposure to pesticides require further development.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa. aqiel.dalvie@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ochieng
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dalvie
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kromhout
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides