The Interconnectedness of Health and Environment

There are a lot of internal and external factors that determine everyone's overall health and life expectancy. Our life expectancy is largely dependent on our health and life expectancy. In how does the environment affect our health essay this topic is discussed. Health and well-being are largely influenced by our time in the womb, our entire childhood, our families, outdoor and family environments, and individual health choices. According to healthy people 2020, the goal is to create a healthy physical and social environment and balance the health of all people equally. Our life expectancy, health and quality of life depend on the environment in which we live, study, work and play. I focused on three major effects of nutrition, income, and physical environment on a person's lifetime health. Although many of the foundations of health are interconnected in some way, each has a unique process that affects health. Everyone should have an equal chance to get the best health possible, and there are many things in society that needs to change.

Nutrition and eating habits are key to health. In the United States, an unhealthy or unhealthy diet has a major impact on the risk of developing chronic diseases. I have noticed that poor eating habits a cause of many health-related problems. Obesity is still one of the major consequences of inadequate diet in the United States. Studies conducted by the who suggest that 160 million people in the United States are obese. Poor eating habits can lead to major and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and possibly more eating disorders. According to social determinants of health, one cause of obesity or malnutrition is a direct consequence of inequality among individuals living in poverty in the United States. Because of lack of money, people will buy low cost and high fat food. To address this health inequality, a system is needed that allows people to get healthier food on a lower budget. Low-income families can get calories or calories, which provide them with access to nutritious food. Numerous differences are concentrated in socioeconomic, income and cultural factors. Despite this problem, it has been reported that people who have trouble buying healthier, more nutritious food do want to adopt healthier eating habits. Education also creates nutritional gaps, as people need to be able to recognize which food choices are better for physical and mental health. According to the world health organization, failure to maintain adequate nutrition can lead to the cumulative effects of various chronic diseases. The United States has established a national goal to eliminate health inequities caused by the uneven distribution of food production costs in society.

A healthy influence that we are consistently exposed to as an infant is our environment. According to our textbook, our environment shapes our health and the ways in which we developed. The environment in which we live has a role in our behavior. I have observed and experienced that we are influenced by everything that surrounds us. When we are exposed to negative living conditions as a child, it remains an issue into adulthood. The World Health Organization reports that 1,800 individuals die as a result of exposure to urban air pollution. They also estimate that thirteen million deaths are caused by environment alone. Environmental health disparities begin to appear when areas show poor environmental quality as well as social inequities that has increased sickness and diseases. I can observe how much we expose to poor environments based on pollution. We live around waste landfills that cause negative effects on the environment and individual health. This is related to early death, cancer, damaging effects to our respiratory systems, asthma, allergies, and lung cancer. The United States has been working to help reduce air emissions and decreasing the amount of pollution in our environment. Approximately 127 million people live in areas that exceed air quality standards. By eliminating air pollution would help to create a healthier environment. Many people such as children, elderly, those living in poverty, and have underlying health conditions are vulnerable to developing a lifelong disease. NIEHS Environmental Health Science (EHS) Core Centers Program is working on creating technology to help advance understanding about how pollutants and other factors of the environment affect health and diseases. Brain imaging research has shown that growing up in unhygienic environments causes the human brain to develop differently causing chronic diseases. These results of pollution, poor air quality, access to clean water show that the environment plays an important role in disease and health.

The third one that I observed to have a negative effect on health is income and poverty. Those who are wealthy have easier access to food, health care, treatment, better schools, jobs, housing, and neighborhoods. It has been reported by the World Health Organization that About 43 million individuals in the United States live in poverty. This is an example of how weak health is within our county, and this is due to health disparities. Living in poverty has a massive connection to feeble health and continues to increase the risk of poverty. I have recognized that not being able to obtain the minimum needs a person needs for health, it increases stress causing long term, economic uncertainty, meager living conditions, and health issues. In a study about the mortality gap in the United States, persons living in areas of poverty have a life expectancy of 14.6 years less than someone who is considered wealthy. The level of inequality continues to grow when it comes to income. The more income we receive, the higher life expectancy increases as well as health. Kaiser Family Foundation states that nearly 50 studies have been done where facts such as poverty accounted for 1/3 of total deaths in the United States in a year. According to Social Determinants of Health, cumulative household income has a major effect on childhood health. I can observe the relation between how a child living in poverty shows major physical issues in adulthood such as diabetes, as well as slower cognitive development, difficulty maintaining a job, and good income. I can analyze that many illnesses and death are due to poverty level in the ways in which individuals live. When it comes to the social gradient worse health outcomes come for those in the lower-class causing disease and disability. Healthy people are 2020 reports that social assistance programs are designed as a safety net for all U.S. citizens, but specifically benefit low-income individuals and families. By helping poverty can help create a greater equality in health and as well as increase life expectancy that comes with poverty.

There are huge health inequalities in many areas of our society. Environmental, health, nutrition, personal behavior and income levels must be directed to improve life expectancy and health. Who is still conduct research and guidance to help achieve optimal health for all? Raise awareness and practice healthful behaviors in your life for everyone who contributes to your overall health. We face difficulties in improving health outcomes due to the lack of monetary stability, environmental protection, affordable health care, housing and food. Within the scope of air quality district management, there is a policy and steps taken to address the health impacts of environmental factors. AQDM sent a team of investigators to help implement these policies to reduce truck emissions in California. Companies that only transport goods will be rewarded or subsidized if they comply. They banned old truck engines and worked on diesel engines. In the year they started this policy, they saw a sharp decrease in the amount of pollution caused by exhaust fumes and truck emissions. After reducing transportation and replacing old trucks, the black carbon emission factor was reduced by 50 percent, and the nitrogen oxide emission factor, which is associated with adverse health outcomes, was decreased by 40 percent. By solving this problem, air quality is improved and communities at risk are reduced. Through this policy, I can observe and understand that by implementing health equity and equitable overall health. Everyone will have the opportunity to stay as healthy as possible.