Mori Chisato, Todaka Emiko
Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba City, Japan.
Centre for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba City, Japan.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2017 Jul;71(7):660-662. doi: 10.1136/jech-2016-208088. Epub 2017 May 17.
In the modern society, people are exposed to various pollutants during their lifetime. Worldwide, the status of children's health has changed in recent decades. Some studies have attempted to identify the causes of these changes and whether they relate to pollutant exposure; however, such attempts have faced major challenges because human life is complex, involving many social and environmental factors. Several long-term cohort studies are being conducted to determine the relationship between diseases and social and environmental factors in children. Even before we establish complete proof of adverse effects, we should attempt to decrease risk to future generations by adopting precautionary principles. Environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants can be reduced throughout the stages of life-the fetal period, newborn and infant periods, childhood, adolescence and adulthood (preconception) by individuals as well as by society as a whole. Through reducing environmental exposure to pollutants, adverse health effects can also be reduced, which will contribute to healthier future generations. Here, we suggest a virtuous cycle for improving the health of future generations through reduced exposure to persistent pollutants.
在现代社会，人们一生中会接触到各种污染物。在全球范围内，近几十年来儿童健康状况发生了变化。一些研究试图找出这些变化的原因以及它们是否与污染物暴露有关；然而，此类尝试面临重大挑战，因为人类生活复杂，涉及许多社会和环境因素。目前正在进行几项长期队列研究，以确定儿童疾病与社会和环境因素之间的关系。甚至在我们建立起不良反应的完整证据之前，我们就应该通过采取预防原则来尝试降低对后代的风险。个人以及整个社会都可以在生命的各个阶段——胎儿期、新生儿期和婴儿期、儿童期、青春期和成年期（受孕前）减少环境中持久性有机污染物的暴露。通过减少环境污染物暴露，不良健康影响也可以降低，这将有助于后代更健康。在此，我们提出一个良性循环，通过减少持久性污染物暴露来改善后代健康。
