Study Links Increased Soy Production and Pesticide Use to Child Leukemia Deaths in Brazil

Researchers suggest nearly half of child leukemia deaths in Brazil's farming regions tied to increased soy farming and pesticide use, particularly glyphosate, over past decade; however, study only shows correlation, not causation.

• Researchers have found a correlation between the increase in soy farming in Brazil, particularly in the Amazon and Cerrado regions, and the rise of leukemia deaths among young children over the past decade.
• The increase in pesticide use, especially glyphosate, necessary to grow soy appears to be affecting the country's water supply, with a subsequent impact on public health.
• About half of the families in these farming regions depend on surface water which can become contaminated by the chemicals used in soy production.
• To quantify, an estimated 123 child deaths from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are associated with soy production over the studied 10 years.
• The study indicates that the affected children who succumbed to the disease lived over 100 kilometers away from a pediatric cancer treating facility, highlighting the role of access to healthcare.
• The rapid expansion of soy cultivation in Brazil is driven by global demand, with the country now being the world's largest producer of soybeans. This significant growth, however, does not come without public health concerns.

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