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Over the past seven decades humans have experienced significant
changes in diet, lifestyle and social practices, all of which
may have profound effects on human health. According to researchers,
environmental and lifestyle factors play a major role in human
disease--accounting for perhaps 75 percent of most cancers.
It is suspected that environmental chemicals also play a
role in these negative health effects, however researchers
attempting to establish a link between environmental chemical
exposures and health problems have found it to be a daunting
task, as adverse effects may not show up until many years
after exposure (for example, in adulthood after fetal exposure).
They suggest that exposure to chemicals may pose the greatest
threat to pregnant women, which then may affect the health
of the fetus later in life. They recommend that women reduce
their use of cosmetics and body creams, which often contain
chemicals, and seek to avoid other chemical exposures prior
to becoming pregnant to lessen this risk.
Researchers offered the following points in their clinical
review of the issue:
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Synthetic chemicals are pervasive in the environment,
but understanding of their potential to cause harm is
limited
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Several recent studies have shown associations between
prenatal or postnatal exposure to certain pesticides or
phthalates and reproductive disorders in humans
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Reproductive effects of environmental chemicals in (aquatic)
wildlife are well established; these may provide sentinels
for human effects, especially on the fetus
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Recent discoveries raise possibilities of effects of
common environmental chemicals on endogenous hormones
The researchers also suggest six key recommendations to
reduce the release of chemicals into the environment. These
include:
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All chemicals "of concern" in current use (especially
those not safety tested) should be sorted into "categories
of concern" according to hazard assessment; the most
hazardous to be selected for further investigation
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Chemicals found in unexpected environmental compartments
or at unexpected concentrations, or associated with unusual
biological phenomena, should be investigated
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Where synthetic chemicals are found in raised concentrations
in biological fluids such as breast milk and in tissues
of humans, marine mammals, or top predators, regulatory
steps should be taken to remove them from the market immediately
New legislation should prohibit marketing of any chemical
for which basic environmental safety data is not registered
British
Medical Journal February 21, 2004;328:447-451 (Free Full-Text
Article)
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