The Changing Landscape of Arctic Traditional Food

The traditional diet of northern Canada’s Inuit population provides unique health benefits to a people who have eaten largely the same foods for centuries. But this traditional diet is being challenged on multiple fronts—through the introduction of processed foods, through contamination of traditional foodstocks, and through an ecologic landscape that is changing in response to a warming climate. This article explores the health effects rising from the changing landscape of the Arctic traditional diet.

Rice and Methylmercury Exposure in Inland China

Fish consumption is regarded as the primary pathway of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure for most people in the world. However, in the inland regions of China, most residents eat little fish, but they live in areas contaminated with mercury (Hg). To investigate salient MeHg exposure for the general adult population in Guizhou, Zhang et al. (p. 1183) selected four locations representing typical rural areas in Guizhou Province, where the diet is primarily locally grown agricultural products: Wanshan (Hg mining and smelting activities), Qingzhen (coal-fired power plant), Weining (artisanal zinc smelting activities), and Leigong Natural Reserve (no direct Hg contamination sources). The probable daily intake (PDI) of MeHg was considerably higher in people living in Wanshan than in the other areas; approximately 34% of Wanshan residents exceeded the reference dose for MeHg established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The MeHg PDI in the other three locations were all below the reference dose. In all four areas, rice consumption accounted for 94–96% of the MeHg PDI. The results of this study underscore the need to consider dietary sources of MeHg in risk assessment and in developing approaches for risk prevention and mitigation.

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Risk-Based Air Pollution Control in the Yangtze River Delta, China

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) is the fastest growing economic development region in China and one of the most densely populated regions in the world, with recent dramatic increases in energy consumption and atmospheric emissions. To inform air pollution control strategy design, Zhou et al. (p. 1204) studied how different emission sectors influence population exposures and corresponding health risks. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was applied to an emission inventory to estimate the baseline concentrations and the marginal concentration change associated with hypothetical control strategies for multiple sectors in the YRD. The authors focused on nitrogen oxide (NO_x) control while considering other pollutants that affect concentrations of fine particulate matter [≤ 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM_2.5)] and ozone, and they developed concentration–response functions for PM_2.5 and ozone mortality to evaluate the anticipated health benefits of emission reduction. The authors report significant variation across pollutants in health benefits per ton of emission reduction. The public health benefits of realistic controls for sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from the power sector and primary PM_2.5 emissions from the industry sector are roughly comparable, given higher emission reductions for SO₂ and higher population exposures per ton of PM_2.5; benefits from NO_x control strategies were much lower. The authors conclude that estimated health benefits associated with emission reductions in the YRD are substantial, especially for sectors and pollutants with both higher population exposure per unit emissions and large potential for emission reductions.

Related News Article: Picture of Better Health: Prioritizing Air Pollution Control in China

Bisphenol A Is Diabetogenic in Mice

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread endocrine-disrupting chemical used as the base compound in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics. Epidemiological evidence has suggested an association between exposure to BPA in human adults and a high risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Alonso-Magdalena et al. (p. 1243) studied the effect of environmentally relevant doses of BPA on glucose metabolism in mice during pregnancy and the subsequent impact of BPA exposure on these females later in life. The authors also investigated the consequences of in utero exposure to BPA on metabolic parameters and pancreatic function in offspring. Four months postpartum, BPA-exposed females weighed more and had higher plasma insulin, leptin, triglyceride, and glycerol concentration and greater insulin resistance than did controls. At 6 months of age, male offspring exposed to BPA in utero had reduced glucose tolerance, increased insulin resistance, and altered blood parameters. The authors conclude that BPA may contribute to metabolic disorders relevant to glucose homeostasis and may be a risk factor for diabetes.

Related News Article: BPA and Insulin Resistance: Evidence of Effects in Dams and Offspring