Narrative review: the relationship between the health of natural ecosystems and human health

Authors

  • Rafaela Veloci Graduanda, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6386-1791
  • Rodrigo Ernst Velho Gomes Graduando, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
  • Mariana Fonseca de Lucena Miranda Graduanda, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2572-1499
  • Nancy Huang Professora, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Colégio Brasileiro de Medicina do Estilo de Vida, CBMEV, São Paulo, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8151-3002

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61661/congresso.cbmev.7.2024.123

Keywords:

Planetary Health, Lifestyle Medicine, Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases, Climate Change, Global Warming

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) - responsible for 70% of all deaths worldwide - are triggered by the social, cultural and environmental environment in which each individual lives. In this context, the concept of “Planetary Health” was created to highlight the interdependence of the health of natural ecosystems and human health - so that this term is defended by many countries as the 7th pillar of Lifestyle Medicine (LMS). Objectives: To clarify the impact of changes in Planetary Health on the pillars of LMS and on the development of NCDs. Methodology: This is a narrative review in which the following words were searched in PubMed: ‘Noncommunicable diseases’ AND ‘climate change’; ‘lifestyle medicine’ AND ‘climate change; ‘lifestyle medicine’ AND ‘planetary health’. The exclusion criteria were: studies published more than 6 years ago, articles not written in English, personal opinion articles and studies that did not include SEM and/or NCDs and Planetary Health in the same article. Results: Thirty-eight articles were selected, which showed that all pillars are impacted in some way by changes in Planetary Health. The higher concentration of carbon dioxide, for example, in addition to impacting “toxin control”, also prevents adequate dietary guidelines by causing a reduction in the amount of protein in grains. Noise from noise pollution worsens sleep quality and is related to nightmares. In addition to food and sleep, there is also a decrease in physical activity due to high temperatures. Conclusion: The study concludes a clear relationship between the impact of Planetary Health on all pillars of SEM. Therefore, there is a need for greater scientific production on what behavioral changes are necessary to improve planetary health, in order to guide patients and health professionals on the subject in order to reduce the development of NCDs.

Author Biographies

Rafaela Veloci, Graduanda, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

Rodrigo Ernst Velho Gomes, Graduando, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

Mariana Fonseca de Lucena Miranda, Graduanda, Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

Nancy Huang, Professora, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Nove de Julho, UNINOVE, São Paulo, SP, Colégio Brasileiro de Medicina do Estilo de Vida, CBMEV, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

References

Budnik LT, Casteleyn L, Paschalidou AK, Kassomenos P. Pollution in living and working environments, climate variability, and their impact on non-communicable disease burden. Science of The Total Environment. 2019 Apr;660:593–4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.055

Rother HA. Controlling and preventing climate-sensitive noncommunicable diseases in urban sub-Saharan Africa. Science of The Total Environment. 2020 Jun;722:137772. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137772

Cambeses-Franco C, González-García S, Feijoo G, Moreira MT. Driving commitment to sustainable food policies within the framework of American and European dietary guidelines. Science of The Total Environment. 2022 Feb;807:150894. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150894

Nag R. A methodological framework for ranking communicable and non-communicable diseases due to climate change – A focus on Ireland. Science of The Total Environment. 2023 Jul 1;880:163296–6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163296

Nugent R, Fottrell E. Non-communicable diseases and climate change: linked global emergencies. The Lancet. 2019 Aug;394(10199):622–3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31762-3

Eguiluz‐Gracia I, Mathioudakis AG, Bartel S, Vijverberg SJH, Fuertes E, Comberiati P, et al. The need for clean air: The way air pollution and climate change affect allergic rhinitis and asthma. Allergy. 2020 Jan 30;75(9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14177

Frumkin H, Haines A. Global Environmental Change and Noncommunicable Disease Risks. Annual Review of Public Health. 2019 Apr;40(1):261–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040218-043706

Pathak N, McKinney A. Planetary Health, Climate Change, and Lifestyle Medicine: Threats and Opportunities. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2021 Apr 21;15(5):155982762110081. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276211008127

Bernstein A, Katz DL. Lifestyle Medicine and Climate Change: The Role of Providers in Addressing a Public Health Challenge. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2021 May 26;155982762110170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276211017097

‌Savage A, Bambrick H, McIver L, Gallegos D. Climate change and socioeconomic determinants are structural constraints to agency in diet-related non-communicable disease prevention in Vanuatu: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. 2021 Jun 26;21(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11245-2

Lee EY, Masuda J. The “freedom” to pollute? An ecological analysis of neoliberal capitalist ideology, climate culpability, lifestyle factors, and population health risk in 124 countries. Canadian Journal of Public Health [Internet]. 2021 Jun 11 [cited 2021 Aug 5]; Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269%2Fs41997-021-00530-7

Figueres C, Landrigan PJ, Fuller R. Tackling air pollution, climate change, and NCDs: time to pull together. The Lancet. 2018 Oct;392(10157):1502–3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32740-5

Prescott SL, Logan AC, Bristow J, Rozzi R, Moodie R, Redvers N, et al. Exiting the Anthropocene: Achieving personal and planetary health in the 21st century. Allergy. 2022 Jul 6;77(12). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15419

Sheehan M. Urban agrobiodiversity, health and city climate adaptation plans. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2023 Feb 1;101(02):121–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.22.288857

Cundiff DK. Connecting Climate Change Mitigation to Global Land Regeneration, Doubling Worldwide Livestock, and Reduction of Early Deaths from Noncommunicable Diseases. Cureus. 2023 Jan 2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33253

Münzel T, Hahad O, Sørensen M, Lelieveld J, Duerr GD, Nieuwenhuijsen M, et al. Environmental risk factors and cardiovascular diseases: a comprehensive expert review. Cardiovascular Research [Internet]. 2021 Oct 5;118(14). Available from: https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/118/14/2880/6381568 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab316

Dhimal M, Neupane T, Lamichhane Dhimal M. Understanding Linkages between Environmental Risk Factors and Noncommunicable diseases—A Review. FASEB BioAdvances [Internet]. 2021 Mar 4;3(5):287–94. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8103723/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1096/fba.2020-00119

Dhimal M, Bhandari D, Dhimal ML, Kafle N, Pyakurel P, Mahotra N, et al. Impact of Climate Change on Health and Well-Being of People in Hindu Kush Himalayan Region: A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Physiology. 2021 Aug 6;12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.651189

Springer RA, Elliott SJ. “There’s Not Really Much Consideration Given to the Effect of the Climate on NCDs”—Exploration of Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Professionals on a Climate Change-NCD Connection in Barbados. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019 Dec 27;17(1):198. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010198

Logan AC, Berman BM, Prescott SL. Earth Dreams: Reimagining ARPA for Health of People, Places and Planet. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Dec 3;18(23):12788. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312788

Vineis P, Beagley J, Bisceglia L, Carra L, Cingolani R, Forastiere F, et al. Strategy for primary prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and mitigation of climate change in Italy. J Epidemiol Community Health [Internet]. 2021 Sep 1 [cited 2021 Nov 3];75(9):917–24. Available from: https://jech.bmj.com/content/75/9/917 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2020-215726

Behera M, Behera D, Satpathy S. Planetary health and the role of community health workers. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2020;9(7):3183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_328_20

Hertig E, Hunger I, Kaspar-Ott I, Matzarakis A, Niemann H, Schulte-Droesch L, et al. Climate change and public health in Germany - An introduction to the German status report on climate change and health 2023. Journal of Health Monitoring [Internet]. 2023 Jun 1;8(Suppl 3):6–32. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10278374/

.Pathak N, Pollard KJ, McKinney A. Lifestyle Medicine Interventions for Personal and Planetary Health: The Urgent Need for Action. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2022 May 15;155982762210908. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276221090887

Finley J, Jaacks LM, Peters CJ, Ort DR, Aimone AM, Conrad Z, et al. Perspective: Understanding the Intersection of Climate/Environmental Change, Health, Agriculture, and Improved Nutrition – A Case Study: Type 2 Diabetes. Advances in Nutrition. 2019 May 31;10(5):731–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz035

Ratter-Rieck JM, Roden M, Herder C. Diabetes and climate change: current evidence and implications for people with diabetes, clinicians and policy stakeholders. Diabetologia. 2023 Mar 25;66 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-05901-y

Borg FH, Greibe Andersen J, Karekezi C, Yonga G, Furu P, Kallestrup P, et al. Climate change and health in urban informal settlements in low- and middle-income countries – a scoping review of health impacts and adaptation strategies. Global Health Action. 2021 Jan 1;14(1):1908064. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2021.1908064

Andrei Pyko, Roswall N, Mikael Ögren, Oudin A, Rosengren A, Eriksson C, et al. Long-Term Exposure to Transportation Noise and Ischemic Heart Disease: A Pooled Analysis of Nine Scandinavian Cohorts. 2023 Jan 1;131(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1289/isee.2022.O-OP-129

Prescott SL, Bland JS. Spaceship Earth Revisited: The Co-Benefits of Overcoming Biological Extinction of Experience at the Level of Person, Place and Planet. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020 Feb 21;17(4):1407. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041407

Logan AC, Prescott SL, Katz DL. Golden Age of Medicine 2.0: Lifestyle Medicine and Planetary Health Prioritized. Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2019 Jul 31;9(2):75–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15280/jlm.2019.9.2.75

Prescott S, Logan A, Katz D. Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019 Jan 16;16(2):238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020238

Stenvinkel P, Shiels PG, Painer J, Miranda JJ, Natterson-Horowitz B, Johnson RJ. A planetary health perspective for kidney disease. Kidney International. 2020 Aug;98(2):261–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2020.03.024

Helbach A, Dumm M, Moll K, Böttrich T, Leineweber CG, Mueller W, et al. Improvement of Dietary Habits among German Medical Students by Attending a Nationwide Online Lecture Series on Nutrition and Planetary Health (“Eat This!”). Nutrients. 2023 Jan 22;15(3):580. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030580

Prescott SL. A world of inflammation: the need for ecological solutions that co‐benefit people, place and planet. Veterinary Dermatology. 2021 Aug 20;32(6):539. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.13013

Stenvinkel P, Shiels PG, Johnson RJ. Lessons from evolution by natural selection: An unprecedented opportunity to use biomimetics to improve planetary health. Journal of Environmental Management. 2023 Feb;328:116981. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116981

Luschkova D, Zeiser K, Ludwig A, Traidl-Hoffmann C. Atopic eczema is an environmental disease. Allergologie Select [Internet]. 2021;5(1):244–50. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34476334/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.5414/ALX02258E

‌37. Prescott, Hancock, Bland, van den Bosch, Jansson, Johnson, et al. Eighth Annual Conference of inVIVO Planetary Health: From Challenges to Opportunities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019 Nov 5;16(21):4302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214302

Guillaume Chevance, Ujué Fresán, Hekler EB, Edmondson D, Lloyd SKW, Ballester J, et al. Thinking Health-related Behaviors in a Climate Change Context: A Narrative Review. Thinking Health-related Behaviors in a Climate Change Context: A Narrative Review. 2022 Jul 21;57(3):193–204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaac039

Published

2024-10-30

How to Cite

1.
Veloci R, Gomes REV, Miranda MF de L, Huang N. Narrative review: the relationship between the health of natural ecosystems and human health. Congresso Brasileiro de Medicina do Estilo de Vida [Internet]. 2024 Oct. 30 [cited 2024 Dec. 4];7. Available from: https://publicacoes.cbmev.org.br/cbmev/article/view/123

Most read articles by the same author(s)