A University of Guadalajara research project is looking into a possible link between the pesticide Lindane and the incidence of childhood obesity among youngsters aged two to five born in Chapala and Jocotepec.
The study is based on blood samples drawn from local pregnant women during the first trimester of gestation, the period when the endocrine system of a fetus develops. Among the 94 expectant mothers tested between 2009 and 2011, 79 percent showed traces of the toxic substance in their blood.
Lindane is a chemical variant of hexachlorocyclohexane, once widely used both as an agricultural insecticide and as a pharmaceutical treatment for lice and scabies. The product’s manufacture has been banned in Mexico since 2000 when it was classified for restricted use only.
Lead scientist Diana Citlalli Garcia Ramirez has revealed that 17 percent of children growing up in the Chapala area and its agricultural zones are prone to excess weight. The conclusions of the study are to be released at the end of July.