The global decline of bees and other pollinators is stunting yields of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Scientists estimate that the loss of these nutritious foods is leading to 427,000 early deaths a year.

“This study shows that doing too little to help pollinators does not just harm nature, but human health as well,” Matthew Smith, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

Rising temperatures, widespread use of pesticides, and habitat loss are fueling a downturn in the population of insects, with has dropped by nearly half in some parts of the world. Insects pollinate around three-fourths of crops, scientists said, and their decline has hurt the growth of key foods.

Insect Loss Stunting Fruit and Vegetable Production, Leading to More Than 400,000 Early Deaths a Year – The Free

They forgot to mention radioactive heavy metal poisons, which also affect insects in a negative manner.