The article aims to present an overview of pesticide usage and population exposure, focusing on the impact on health and the correlation with food and nutrition security (FNS). This review is relevant due to the extensive use of pesticides in food production, which exposes individuals in various ways, including the ingestion of contaminated food, with adverse health effects. Brazil is one of the largest consumers of pesticides in the world, with product sale growth above 200% from 2000 to 2013, increasing the predisposition of the population and environment to the impacts caused by these compounds. The country has weaknesses regarding the monitoring of pesticide usage, besides its vulnerable population affected by social and economic problems. Studies on the correlation between pesticides and diseases have shown potential health risks, including birth defects, hearing loss, cancer, and infertility, in addition to symptoms related to acute intoxication, such as weakness, vomiting, seizures, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and nosebleed, among others. Reduction policies in pesticide usage and the encouragement for the sustainable agricultural practices should be prioritized by public managers. It is also essential to improve the monitoring and surveillance programs and research on the topic, as well as training of health professionals to identify and report the cases of pesticide poisoning.
Exposure to pesticide residues through food consumption of the population The application of pesticides in agricultural production is related to several areas of knowledge, with emphasis on public health, due to the risks involved. In Brazil, the indiscriminate use has led the country to lead, since 2008, the consumption of this class of products. The general objective of the study was to estimate the chronic intake of pesticides by the Brazilian population through diet, highlighting the substances with the highest consumption and their toxicological implications. For this purpose, the foods registered in the food consumption block of the Family Budget Survey 2008-2009, conducted by IBGE, were used and the exposure was estimated by the calculation of Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (IDMT). The risk characterization was performed by comparing the IDMT with the values of Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), stipulated in mg / kg body weight / day, and the individual weight of the sample members (n = 33,613) of POF to feed. Analyzes were carried out discriminating the Brazilian population, according to the major regions and domiciliary situation (urban or rural). Of the 283 pesticides considered for the research, 68 compounds exceeded the ADI value. The methyl bromide compound occupied the first position as the compound with the highest consumption estimated for the Brazilian population. This pesticide is classified as extremely toxic, and its use is in global discontinuation for causing damage to the ozone layer, in addition to the health risks of rural workers and residents of regions near the agricultural production areas. When the major regions of the country were studied, the North (59 pesticides), Northeastern (62 pesticides) and South (48 agrochemicals) regions presented a lower number of agrochemicals than those identified for the Brazilian population (N = 68). On the other hand, the southeastern and central-western regions presented a higher number of compounds that extrapolated to the value of the ADI, being a total of 69 compounds for both regions. Exposure in the urban and rural sectors was also studied, and it was found that 67 compounds exceeded the ADI value in both domiciliary situations. For the rural area the risks involved are related to the application of these products, posing the risk of acute intoxication. It is important to consider that the characterization of chronic risk will be closer to reality the better the data reflect the conditions of the food at the time of consumption. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out studies on exposure to pesticides for the Brazilian population, mainly regarding the toxicological implications, and considering the most vulnerable groups.
Reducing the impacts of agriculture on the environment is one of the greatest challenges of this century. In Brazil, it is often argued that more land use change is needed to achieve food security. However, analyses seeking to understand the dynamics between agricultural production for exports and food intended for the Brazilian population have not approached the question if national agriculture is sufficient to provide Brazilians with the necessary nutrients, according to nutritional recommendations. In this sense, we sought to combine supply and dietary requirements for food (calories and nutrients) to assess trends in nutrient production and how future population projections and possible changes in diets would affect land necessity for nutritional security. We use sub-national data on agricultural production, population, Food Balance Sheets from FAO, and a compilation of nutritional information on the Brazilian agricultural production. Our results show that, in the last three decades, Brazil produced enough food calories to feed on average 115% of its population. We found that the agricultural land in 2017, without any expansion, is sufficient to feed, at least, 105% of projected population in 2060, considering the same productivity and dietary patterns. In a vegan diet scenario, less than 10% of the land dedicated to agricultural production in the past 30 years would be required. Despite limitations on supplying certain micro-nutrients, a vegan diet would require even less land in the future. We conclude that Brazilian agriculture could deliver enough food to meet Brazilians’ nutritional needs without further land expansion. Food production is compatible with environmental conservation in Brazil, especially if meat consumption is reduced.
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