Life Stage and Reproductive Health Air Pollution
Exposure to residential air pollution and the development of functional connectivity of brain networks throughout adolescence. Environment International.
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WHAT IS PLANETARY HEALTH?
Life Stage and Reproductive Health
All ages and stages of life on Earth are affected by the environmental crisis.
Environmental degradation and climate-related disruptions pose significant health risks. Children, mothers, and elders are among the most vulnerable populations. During pregnancy, factors such as extreme heat, air pollution, and water scarcity increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal complications. Research has linked high temperatures and exposure to air pollution to a greater risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.
Children exposed to degraded environments face elevated risks of respiratory illnesses, malnutrition, and developmental delays due to poor air and water quality. The World Health Organization reports that environmental risks significantly contribute to childhood diseases, with air pollution leading to respiratory infections and inadequate water quality causing diarrheal diseases, both of which can impair development. Additionally, malnutrition, often resulting from environmental degradation, adversely affects lung development and function in children, increasing susceptibility to respiratory conditions.
Older adults are particularly vulnerable during environmental crises, as extreme weather events and resource shortages often exacerbate chronic health conditions and limit access to essential healthcare. For example, extreme heat aggravates cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, resulting in increased hospitalizations and mortality among older populations.
Furthermore, natural disasters disrupt healthcare services, making it difficult for elderly individuals to obtain necessary medical care and medications, further worsening their health challenges during such crises.
Emerging research has also revealed that exposure to environmental toxins can trigger epigenetic changes with transgenerational effects, increasing health vulnerabilities across generations. These environmental stressors can induce heritable epigenetic alterations, heightening disease susceptibility and impacting health outcomes in future generations.
Life Stage and Reproductive Health Resources
Life Stage and Reproductive Health Air Pollution
Co-benefits to children’s health of the U.S. regional greenhouse gas initiative. Environmental Health Perspectives.
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Life Stage and Reproductive Health
Identification of a key environment-responsive gene mediating environmental impact on postmenopausal osteoporosis. Frontiers in Public Health.
Scientists identified AKT1 as a node connecting environmental pollutants like BPA to bone health, and a therapeutic target. These findings underscore the complexity of osteoporosis pathophysiology and the importance of mitigating environmental pollutant exposure.
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Life Stage and Reproductive Health Mental Health
Childhood air pollution exposure is related to cognitive, educational and mental health outcomes in childhood and adolescence: A longitudinal birth cohort study. Environmental Research.
Researchers examined associations between air pollution exposure in early childhood and 16 outcomes spanning childhood and adolescence in a large birth cohort study.
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Life Stage and Reproductive Health Built Environment and Urbanization
Residential tree canopy configuration and mortality in 6 million Swiss adults: A longitudinal study. The Lancet Planetary Health.
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News Related to Life Stage and Reproductive Health
The Increased Burden of Global Environmental Change on HIV/AIDS Morbities and Mortality Among Farmers in Mufindi District, Iringa Region, Tanzania
