Heat-related mortality risk model for climate change impact projection Tập 19 Số 1 - Trang 56-63 - 2014
Yasushi Honda, Masahide Kondo, Glenn R. McGregor, Ho Kim, Yang Guo, Yasuaki Hijioka, Minoru Yoshikawa, Kazutaka Oka, Saneyuki Takano, Simon Hales, Sari Kovats
Effects of the built environment on physical activity: a systematic review of longitudinal studies taking sex/gender into account Tập 25 - Trang 1-25 - 2020
Antonina Tcymbal, Yolanda Demetriou, Anne Kelso, Laura Wolbring, Kathrin Wunsch, Hagen Wäsche, Alexander Woll, Anne K. Reimers
Individual health behavior is related to environmental and social structures. To promote physical activity (PA) effectively, it is necessary to consider structural influences. Previous research has shown the relevance of the built environment. However, sex/gender differences have yet not been considered. The aim of this systematic review was to identify built environmental determinants of PA by taking sex/gender into account. A systematic literature search was carried out using six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Knowledge) to identify studies analyzing the effect of changes in the built environment on PA, taking sex/gender into account. To be included, studies had to be based on quantitative data and a longitudinal study design. Changes in the built environment had to be objectively assessed. The methodological quality of the studies was examined using the QualSyst tool for examining risk of bias. In total, 36 studies published since 2000 were included in this review. The data synthesis revealed that the majority of reviewed studies found the built environment to be a determinant of PA behavior for both, males and females, in a similar way. Creating a new infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transportation showed a positive effect on PA behavior. Findings were most consistent for the availability of public transport, which was positively associated with overall PA and walking. The improvement of walking and cycling infrastructure had no effect on the overall level of PA, but it attracted more users and had a positive effect on active transportation. In women, the availability of public transport, safe cycling lanes, housing density, and the distance to daily destinations proved to be more relevant with regard to their PA behavior. In men, street network characteristics and road environment, such as intersection connectivity, local road density, and the presence of dead-end roads, were more important determinants of PA. This review sheds light on the relevance of the built environment on PA. By focusing on sex/gender differences, a new aspect was addressed that should be further analyzed in future research and considered by urban planners and other practitioners.
Air pollution and children’s health—a review of adverse effects associated with prenatal exposure from fine to ultrafine particulate matter Tập 26 Số 1 - 2021
Natalie M. Johnson, Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann, Jonathan Behlen, Carmen Lau, Drew Pendleton, Navada Harvey, Ross A. Shore, Yixin Li, Jingshu Chen, Ye Tian, Renyi Zhang
AbstractBackgroundParticulate matter (PM), a major component of ambient air pollution, accounts for a substantial burden of diseases and fatality worldwide. Maternal exposure to PM during pregnancy is particularly harmful to children’s health since this is a phase of rapid human growth and development.
MethodIn this review, we synthesize the scientific evidence on adverse health outcomes in children following prenatal exposure to the smallest toxic components, fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine (PM0.1) PM. We highlight the established and emerging findings from epidemiologic studies and experimental models.
ResultsMaternal exposure to fine and ultrafine PM directly and indirectly yields numerous adverse birth outcomes and impacts on children’s respiratory systems, immune status, brain development, and cardiometabolic health. The biological mechanisms underlying adverse effects include direct placental translocation of ultrafine particles, placental and systemic maternal oxidative stress and inflammation elicited by both fine and ultrafine PM, epigenetic changes, and potential endocrine effects that influence long-term health.
ConclusionPolicies to reduce maternal exposure and health consequences in children should be a high priority. PM2.5levels are regulated, yet it is recognized that minority and low socioeconomic status groups experience disproportionate exposures. Moreover, PM0.1levels are not routinely measured or currently regulated. Consequently, preventive strategies that inform neighborhood/regional planning and clinical/nutritional recommendations are needed to mitigate maternal exposure and ultimately protect children’s health.
The effects of hookah/waterpipe smoking on general health and the cardiovascular system - 2019
Hanan Qasim, Ahmed B. Alarabi, Karem H. Alzoubi, Zubair A. Karim, Fatima Z. Alshbool, Fadi T. Khasawneh
AbstractHookah or waterpipe smoking or use is an emerging trend in the US population, especially among the youth. The misperception of hookah being less harmful than cigarettes and the availability of different but “appealing” flavors are considered among the main reasons for this trend. Hookah users however are exposed to many of the same toxic compounds/by-products as cigarette users, but at dramatically higher levels, which might lead to more severe negative health effects. In fact, hookah users are at risks of infections, cancers, lung disease, and other medical conditions. Moreover, because of the overlapping toxicant/chemical profile to conventional cigarettes, hookah smoke effects on the cardiovascular system are thought to be comparable to those of conventional cigarettes. A major source of tobacco addiction is nicotine, whose levels in hookah are extremely variable as they depend on the type of tobacco used. Taken together, in this review of literature, we will provide insights on the negative health effects of hookah in general, with a focus on what is known regarding its impact on the cardiovascular system.
