How Our Environment Can Harm Our Health with NCDs
Created By RISC | 2 years ago
Last modified date : 2 years ago
Our environment’s impact on our well-being can be seen in the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In Thailand, 320,000 people die each year, or 37 each hour, from diseases not spread by infections.
The most fatal NCD is cerebrovascular disease followed by ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The leading cause are behaviors like smoking, drinking, eating sweet, oily, salty foods, and not exercising. Patients are often of working age.
But research suggests environmental factors also play a role.
The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN) used mice to study nighttime light exposure. They found an effect on glucose resistance, depending on the wavelength. White light at the brightness of 50-150 lux raises glucose levels. Light at 5-20 lux and green light wave at 520 nm interact with the body's anti-glucose response. Red and blue light don’t. Exposure to light at night could therefore be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Exposure to light at night affects the body's circadian system, especially among the elderly. A 3–4 mmHg increase in blood pressure was found with each 5 lux light intensity level, linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sound matters too. Continuous exposure to noise causes your body to release more cortisol, the stress hormone. Noise pollution from traffic makes us prone to high blood pressure and raises the risk of heart disease. If we’re exposed to noise pollution from a plane for more than 2 hours continuously, there’s a risk of acute cardiovascular disease while sleeping at night.
Air pollution has been linked to many issues from respiratory diseases to diabetes and kidney disease (find out more at http://bit.ly/3YQxLGq)
Environmental factors are linked by lots of research to NCDs. If we can apply this knowledge and understanding to building and residential design we can protect the health of their residents.
Story by: Vasuta Chan, Senior Sustainable Designer, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, RISC