Planetary health diet versus usual diet in adolescents. How do food and physical activity influence academic performance? / Dieta de salud planetaria contra dieta habitual en adolescentes. ¿Cómo impactan la alimentación y la actividad física al rendimiento escolar?

Objective: to analyze the relationship of the similarity of planetary health diet and habitual diet with the practice of physical activity on theacademic performance of adolescent high school students by gender.Method: 877 adolescents were evaluated. The diet is reviewed through the 24-hour reminder. Physical activity was classified according to typeof activity, frequency, duration, and intensity using the APALQ questionnaire. The caloric intake of adolescents was compared with the proposalof the EAT-LANCET commission, and the relationship between physical activity and diet with academic performance was again established.Results: Mexican adolescents do not comply with the proposal of a planetary health diet. No relationship was found between physical activityand academic performance. On the other hand, animal proteins rich in fats are consumed doubly according to the recommendation; these andwhole grains, both are inversely related to better academic performance.Conclusions: Mexican adolescents are far from consuming a planetary health diet. Physical activity was not related to academic performance, butthere is an inverse relationship between fat-rich animal proteins and whole grains in relation to subjects that contribute to academic performance,which suggests that a healthy diet such as the planetary diet proposal could have an impact on environmental sustainability and favorably impactthe academic performance of adolescents.(AU)

Objetivo: analizar la relación de la similitud entre la dieta de salud planetaria y la dieta habitual con la práctica de actividad física sobre elrendimiento académico en adolescentes estudiantes de secundaria por género.Método: se evaluaron 877 adolescentes. La dieta se revisó a través del recordatorio de 24 horas. Se clasificó la actividad física según el tipo deactividad, frecuencia, duración e intensidad con el cuestionario APALQ. Se comparó la ingesta calórica de los adolescentes con la propuesta porla comisión EAT-LANCET y se establecieron relaciones entre la actividad física y la dieta con el rendimiento académico.Resultados: los adolescentes mexicanos no cumplen con la propuesta de una dieta de salud planetaria. No se encontró relación entre laactividad física y el rendimiento académico. Por otro lado, las proteínas animales ricas en grasas se consumen doblemente de acuerdo con larecomendación; estas y los cereales integrales, ambos se relacionan inversamente con un mejor rendimiento académico.Conclusiones: los adolescentes mexicanos están lejos de consumir una dieta planetaria saludable. La actividad física no se relacionó con elrendimiento académico, pero sí existe una relación inversa entre las proteínas animales ricas en grasas y los cereales integrales con relación amaterias que contribuyen con el rendimiento académico, lo que sugiere que una alimentación saludable como la propuesta de la dieta planetariapodría tener impacto sobre la sostenibilidad ambiental e impactar favorablemente en el rendimiento académico de los adolescente.(AU)

Analyse et évolution des dispositifs participatifs à Santé publique France autour des investigations locales en santé environnement.

Santé publique France has been developing participatory approaches in the field of local environmental health investigations for around twenty years. An initial assessment of this activity was carried out in 2016. Comparing four types of participatory process implemented on different polluted sites, this work aims to reflect on the contributions and limits of such approaches. Local stakeholders’ involvement has allowed those involved to voice their health concerns and their expectations about the studies to be conducted, as well as for points of disagreement or misunderstanding, and questions about the results obtained to be expressed. In some cases, it has led to improving the quality of the scientific results produced, by integrating local knowledge and taking into account the needs expressed. It has also sometimes increased the acceptability of environmental pollution management options. The outcome of the process depends on a combination of multiple factors in which the subjectivity of those involved and the type of solicitation play a major role. The agency has since set up new modes of participation based on co-construction processes initiated ahead of investigations. Citizen workshops have been set up to design and promote, with committed and non-committed stakeholders, the health perception study that will be carried out around the Lacq industrial basin. Santé publique France is also developing various methods aimed in particular at evaluating its participatory processes.

Communities catalyzing change with data to mitigate an invisible menace, traffic-related air pollution.

OBJECTIVES: To identify strategies and tactics communities use to translate research into environmental health action. METHODS: We employed a qualitative case study design to explore public health action conducted by residents, organizers, and public health planners in two Massachusetts communities as part of a community based participatory (CBPR) research study. Data sources included key informant interviews (n = 24), reports and direct observation of research and community meetings (n = 10) and project meeting minutes from 2016-2021. Data were coded deductively drawing on the community organizing and implementation frameworks. RESULTS: In Boston Chinatown, partners drew broad participation from community-based organizations, residents, and municipal leaders, which resulted in air pollution mitigation efforts being embedded in the master planning process. In Somerville, partners focused on change at multiple levels, developer behavior, and separate from the funded research, local legislative efforts, and litigation. CONCLUSIONS: CBPR affords communities the ability to environmental health efforts in a way that is locally meaningful, leveraging their respective strengths. External facilitation can support the continuity and sustainment of community led CBPR efforts.

Human health and the health of Planet Earth go together.

The emergence of the planetary health approach was highlighted by the report of The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on Planetary Health in 2015 and changed how we comprehend human well-being. The report advocates integrating the health of other living beings and Earth's natural systems as intrinsic components of human health. Drawing on over three decades of experience in respiratory epidemiology and environmental health, this article outlines how my perspective on human health underwent a transformative shift upon reading the abovementioned report. The planetary health approach offers a lens through which human health issues and potential solutions can be understood within the context of the Anthropocene. It addresses the pressing existential challenges arising from humanity's transgression of planetary limits. Embracing the planetary health paradigm within the field of health sciences can catalyze transformative changes essential for cultivating a sustainable and equitable future.

Environmental Health Literacy Regarding Fine Particulate Matter and Related Factors Among Village Health Volunteers in Upper Northern Thailand.

OBJECTIVES: Fine particulate matter pollution has emerged as a significant life-threatening issue in Thailand. Recognizing the importance of environmental health literacy (EHL) in disease prevention is crucial for protecting public health. This study investigated EHL levels and aimed to identify associated factors among village health volunteers (VHVs) in the upper northern region of Thailand. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 710 VHVs using the EHL assessment tool developed by the Department of Health, Thailand. RESULTS: The overall EHL score was moderate (mean, 3.28 out of a possible 5.0), with the highest and lowest domain-specific mean score for the ability to make decisions (3.52) and the ability to access (3.03). Multiple linear regression revealed that the factors associated with EHL score were area of residence (urban areas in Chiang Mai: B=0.254; urban areas in Lampang: B=0.274; and rural areas in Lampang: B=0.250 compared to rural areas in Chiang Mai), higher education levels (senior high school: B=0.212; diploma/high vocational certificate: B=0.350; bachelor's degree or above: B=0.528 compared to elementary school or lower), having annual health checkups compared to not having annual health check-ups (B=0.142), monthly family income (B=0.004), and individuals frequently facing air pollution issues around their residence (B=0.199) compared to those who reported no such issues. CONCLUSIONS: The VHVs exhibited moderate EHL associated with residence area, education, health check-ups, family income, and residential air pollution. Considering these factors is vital for enhancing VHVs' EHL through strategic interventions.

Differential Participation, a Potential Cause of Spurious Associations in Observational Cohorts in Environmental Epidemiology.

Differential participation in observational cohorts may lead to biased or even reversed estimates. In this article, we describe the potential for differential participation in cohorts studying the etiologic effects of long-term environmental exposures. Such cohorts are prone to differential participation because only those who survived until the start of follow-up and were healthy enough before enrollment will participate, and many environmental exposures are prevalent in the target population and connected to participation via factors such as geography or frailty. The relatively modest effect sizes of most environmental exposures also make any bias induced by differential participation particularly important to understand and account for. We discuss key points to consider for evaluating differential participation and use causal graphs to describe two example mechanisms through which differential participation can occur in health studies of long-term environmental exposures. We use a real-life example, the Canadian Community Health Survey cohort, to illustrate the non-negligible bias due to differential participation. We also demonstrate that implementing a simple washout period may reduce the bias and recover more valid results if the effect of interest is constant over time. Furthermore, we implement simulation scenarios to confirm the plausibility of the two mechanisms causing bias and the utility of the washout method. Since the existence of differential participation can be difficult to diagnose with traditional analytical approaches that calculate a summary effect estimate, we encourage researchers to systematically investigate the presence of time-varying effect estimates and potential spurious patterns (especially in initial periods in the setting of differential participation).

The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: High ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure. METHODS: We are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as "cool roofs," as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling. Our primary research objective is to investigate the effects of cool roofs on health, indoor climate, economic, and behavioral outcomes in rural Burkina Faso. This cRCT is nested in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a population-based dynamic cohort study of all people living in a geographically contiguous area covering 59 villages, 14305 households and 28610 individuals. We recruited 1200 participants, one woman and one man, each in 600 households in 25 villages in the Nouna HDSS. We stratified our sample by (i) village and (ii) two prevalent roof types in this area of Burkina Faso: mud brick and tin. We randomized the same number of people (12) and homes (6) in each stratum 1:1 to receiving vs. not receiving the cool roof. We are collecting outcome data on one primary endpoint - heart rate, (a measure of heat stress) and 22 secondary outcomes encompassing indoor climate parameters, blood pressure, body temperature, heat-related outcomes, blood glucose, sleep, cognition, mental health, health facility utilization, economic and productivity outcomes, mosquito count, life satisfaction, gender-based violence, and food consumption. We followed all participants for 2 years, conducting monthly home visits to collect objective and subjective outcomes. Approximately 12% of participants (n = 152) used smartwatches to continuously measure endpoints including heart rate, sleep and activity. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates the potential of large-scale cRCTs to evaluate novel climate change adaptation interventions and provide evidence supporting investments in heat resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. By conducting this research, we will contribute to better policies and interventions to help climate-vulnerable populations ward off the detrimental effects of extreme indoor heat on health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023207. Registered on April 19, 2021.

Broadening the Environmental Lens to Include Social and Structural Determinants of Women's Health Disparities.

BACKGROUND: Due to the physical, metabolic, and hormonal changes before, during, and after pregnancy, women-defined here as people assigned female at birth-are particularly susceptible to environmental insults. Racism, a driving force of social determinants of health, exacerbates this susceptibility by affecting exposure to both chemical and nonchemical stressors to create women's health disparities. OBJECTIVES: To better understand and address social and structural determinants of women's health disparities, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) hosted a workshop focused on the environmental impacts on women's health disparities and reproductive health in April 2022. This commentary summarizes foundational research and unique insights shared by workshop participants, who emphasized the need to broaden the definition of the environment to include upstream social and structural determinants of health. We also summarize current challenges and recommendations, as discussed by workshop participants, to address women's environmental and reproductive health disparities. DISCUSSION: The challenges related to women's health equity, as identified by workshop attendees, included developing research approaches to better capture the social and structural environment in both human and animal studies, integrating environmental health principles into clinical care, and implementing more inclusive publishing and funding approaches. Workshop participants discussed recommendations in each of these areas that encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, clinicians, funders, publishers, and community members. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12996.

Addressing snakebite envenoming as a One Health issue in the Caribbean

The prevalence of snakebite envenoming and its understated impact on health and socioeconomic well-being in the Caribbean demand urgent attention. As a One Health challenge, this issue intersects human, animal, and environmental health, necessitating a multifaceted approach for comprehensive management. Despite the Caribbean’s rich biodiversity and cultural mosaic, there is a scarcity of data on the epidemiology and impact of snakebites in the region. This gap in knowledge, coupled with the absence of systematic records or survey-based studies, hampers the development of effective interventions. In countries such as Belize, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others, venomous snakes pose a significant threat, particularly to those in rural agricultural settings. Snakebite envenoming not only inflicts a direct health burden, evidenced by high rates of mortality and morbidity among humans, but also precipitates profound financial repercussions. The cost of clinical management for those affected and the loss of productivity due to long-term sequelae are considerable. Moreover, the impact on domestic animals, primarily livestock, translates into tangible economic losses for rural households, who rely on these animals for sustenance and income.

Environmental health knowledge and competences in Basque health workers. A comparison of different professional profiles.

Environmental exposures are responsible for a quarter of morbidity and mortality rates globally. Primary care professionals work in a privileged position to detect and intervene on environmental health matters. Nevertheless, due to lack of specific training, international literature shows that primary care health professionals have limited skills to deal with those. The objectives of this study were to assess the levels of environmental health (EH) knowledge and competence of a sample of 446 health professionals and students in the Basque Country and explore the presence that EH has on their daily practice. Only a very small proportion of participants had received training and took environmental clinical history regularly. Participants were confident to deal, and actually dealt, with tobacco, pollen and sun exposures but less able to address topics like biomarkers, pesticides and endocrine disruptors. Finally, and in accordance to previous works, we found moderate levels of EH knowledge and skills in our sample, and observed that nurses and nursing students reported higher EH skills than other professional profiles but scored lower in knowledge. Despite the manifold impacts of environmental exposures on health, interventions to strengthen health professionals' EH competence are required.

Changing Attitudes About a Pro-Environmental Proposal Concerning Solar Power: The Self-Validating Role of Ingroup Versus Outgroup / Cambio de Actitudes Hacia una Propuesta Pro-ambiental Sobre Energía Solar: el Rol de Auto-Validación de Emisores del Endogrupo Versus Exogrupo

Background: In this study, we examined whether a persuasive message in favor of a pro-environmental proposal could influence attitude change through a self-validation process when individuals were told that the source of the proposal belonged to their ingroup (vs. their outgroup). Method: Participants read a message that advocated for the use of solar power. Immediately following the message, participants were asked to list their thoughts regarding the persuasive proposal. A thought favorability index was created for each participant. Following the thought-listing task, participants received the experimental manipulation (i.e., ingroup vs. outgroup source) based on the minimal group paradigm, after which they reported their attitudes towards the proposal. Results: A regression analysis showed the predicted interaction between thought favorability and type of source (i.e., ingroup vs. outgroup) on attitudes towards the solar power proposal. According to our expectations, thought favorability was a better predictor of attitudes for participants in the ingroup (vs. outgroup) source condition. Conclusions: Attitudes can be polarized as a function of ingroup versus outgroup differentiation through a self-validation process.(AU)

Antecedentes: En la presente investigación, examinamos si un mensaje persuasivo a favor de una propuesta pro-ambiental puede influir en el cambio de actitudes a través de un proceso de auto-validación cuando a los participantes se les dice que el emisor de la propuesta pertenece a su endogrupo (vs. su exogrupo). Método: Los participantes leyeron un mensaje que abogaba por el uso de la energía solar. Inmediatamente después del mensaje, se pidió a los participantes que listaran sus pensamientos con respecto a la propuesta persuasiva. Se creó un índice de favorabilidad de los pensamientos para cada participante. Después de esta tarea, los participantes recibieron la manipulación experimental (i.e., emisor del endogrupo vs. exogrupo) basada en el paradigma del grupo mínimo. Finalmente, informaron de sus actitudes hacia la propuesta. Resultados: Un análisis de regresión mostró la interacción esperada entre la favorabilidad del pensamiento y el tipo de emisor (endogrupo vs. exogrupo) sobre las actitudes hacia el uso de energía solar. Como se hipotetizó, la favorabilidad del pensamiento fue un mejor predictor de las actitudes para los participantes en la condición de endogrupo (vs. exogrupo). Conclusiones: Las actitudes pueden polarizarse en función de la diferenciación entre endogrupo y exogrupo mediante un proceso de auto-validación.(AU)

Отчет Седьмой министерской конференции по окружающей среде и охране здоровья: Будапешт, 5–7 июля 2023 г.

Седьмая Министерская конференция по окружающей среде и охране здоровья Европейского процесса Всемирной организации здравоохранения (ВОЗ) «Окружающая среда и здоровье» (ЕПОСЗ) состоялась в Будапеште (Венгрия) 5–7 июля 2023 г. по любезному приглашению правительства Венгрии. В конференции приняли участие более 600 высокопоставленных представителей государств-членов, институциональных заинтересованных сторон, молодежных и неправительственных организаций. На конференции была принята Будапештская декларация, в которой приоритетное внимание уделяется необходимости срочного осуществления масштабных действий по решению проблем в области здоровья, связанных с изменением климата, загрязнением окружающей среды, утратой биоразнообразия и деградацией земельных ресурсов, а также по вопросам управления и кадровым ресурсам здравоохранения в контексте восстановления после пандемии коронавирусного заболевания. Декларацией предусмотрен новый механизм реализации в виде партнерств ЕПОСЗ; первые четыре партнерства – по биомониторингу человека, борьбе сектора здравоохранения с изменением климата, здоровой активной мобильности и молодежи – были запущены во время конференции. На конференции также было рассмотрено обновленное второе издание доклада «Без сожалений: расширение масштабов деятельности по смягчению последствий изменения климата и адаптации к ним в целях охраны здоровья в Европейском регионе ВОЗ».

Political statement of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network: towards thriving societies - advancing health in the well-being economy

Cities are drivers of innovation across public and private sectors towards enabling an economy that works for everyone. The following Political Statement has been developed through consultation with member cities and WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development and reflects commitment to the Health and Well-Being Economy Pilot initiated by the WHO European Healthy Cities Network. The pilot aims to bring expertise together to support action in cities towards well-being economies.