Ecological

• Environmental Health


  Physical, Mental, Social, Human society, Natural ecosystem
• Environmental Health


  Study and management of factors in the environment that can potentially affect human health
• John Snow

  1854: birth of modern Epidemiology
• Rachel Carson


  1962: highlights the detrimental effects of pesticides on ecosystems, leading to policy changes and shift in public consciousness about relation human/environment
• Social-Ecological Model of Health


  • Recognizes the impacts of different layers on human health: individual factors (age, education, income, genetics), interpersonal processes (family, friends, co-workers), institutional factors (school, work), community factors (neighborhoods, communities), public policy (state, local)
• WHO - "23% of all global deaths could be prevented through healthier environments"
• Waterborne diseases


  Bacteria, viruses and parasites thrive in unclean water and can cause diseases such as diarrhea or hepatitis
• Intervention to improve water quality


  Water treatments and sanitation infrastructures
• Climate change


  Rising temperatures, extreme weather events and changes in precipitation patterns disrupt agricultural production, leading to food shortages, lower quality and malnutrition
• What can be done to mitigate climate change impacts

  1. Promote and develop crop varieties more resistant to climate change impacts

  2. Support social protection campaigns to support vulnerable populations. 3. Promoting strong food systems and sustainable dietary practices.
• Urbanization


  Urban population continues to grow and cities expand, leading to pros (access to food choices, employment) and cons (food insecurity, pollution, sedentary lifestyle)
• In urban areas, fast-foods often outnumber grocery stores, leading to increased consumption of energy dense but nutrient-poor foods (obesogenic environment)
• What can be done to address urbanization challenges

  1. Promote equitable access to nutritious food

  2. Create and support spaces for physical activity

  3. Enhance food safety measures and controls
• Zoonotic diseases


  Diseases transmitted from animals to humans, e.g. Ebola, salmonella, avian influenza
• SARS 2003 led to development of more rigorous food safety and animal husbandry practices
• Environmental pollutants

  • Heavy metals
  • Pesticides
  • Plasticizers
• What can be done to address environmental pollutants

  1. Promote diversified diets (less exposure to pollutants often found in specific foods)

  2. Monitor pollution levels and establish strict regulations on the use of harmful substances

  3. Promote sustainable agricultural practices (crop rotation and diversity, soil management, organic farming, etc)
• Water quality

  Impacts the quality of irrigating crops, ultimately affecting what we eat
• Intensive farming


  Often involves use of pesticides and fertilizers, ultimately affecting what we eat
• Organic farming

  No synthetic chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides), natural ways to keep plants healthy
• Permaculture

  Mimics patterns present in ecosystems to create harmonious, self-sustaining and resilient systems
• How can Nutrition support and promote Sustainability

  1. More plant-based food

  2. Reduce meat consumption

  3. Minimize food waste

  4. Prefer local and seasonal food
• Reduced meat consumption can lead to a 73% decrease on individual's food-related carbon print
• One-Health


  Collaborative, and transdisciplinary approach with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment
• What is environmental health?


  Study and management of factors in the environment that can affect human health.