Nutrition Can Modulate the Toxicity of Environmental Pollutants: Implications in Risk Assessment and Human Health

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bachas LG ; Blumberg B ; Hennig B ; McClain CJ ; Ormsbee L ; Sanderson, Wayne T. ; Suk WA ; Thompson C ; Watkins BA
• Description:
  Background: The paradigm of human risk assessment includes many variables that must be viewed collectively in order to improve human health and prevent chronic disease. The pathology of chronic diseases is complex, however, and may be influenced by exposure to environmental pollutants, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor dietary habits. Much of the emerging evidence suggests that nutrition can modulate the toxicity of environmental pollutants, which may alter human risks associated with toxicant exposures. Objectives: In this commentary, we discuss the basis for recommending that nutrition be considered a critical variable in disease outcomes associated with exposure to environmental pollutants, thus establishing the importance of incorporating nutrition within the context of cumulative risk assessment. Discussion: A convincing body of research indicates that nutrition is a modulator of vulnerability to environmental insults; thus, it is timely to consider nutrition as a vital component of human risk assessment. Nutrition may serve as either an agonist or an antagonist (e.g., high-fat foods or foods rich in antioxidants, respectively) of the health impacts associated with exposure to environmental pollutants. Dietary practices and food choices may help explain the large variability observed in human risk assessment. Conclusion: We recommend that nutrition and dietary practices be incorporated into future environmental research and the development of risk assessment paradigms. Healthful nutrition interventions might be a powerful approach to reduce disease risks associated with many environmental toxic insults and should be considered a variable within the context of cumulative risk assessment and, where appropriate, a potential tool for subsequent risk reduction. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Diet Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Anti-inflammatory Nutrients Dietary Effects Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollutants Environmental Pollution Health Effects Nutrition Risk Assessment Risk Reduction
• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Connecticut ; Florida ; Kentucky ; North Carolina ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  120
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061776
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2012 Jun; 120(6):771-774
• Contact Point Address:
  B. Hennig, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Room 501 Wethington Health Sciences Building, 900 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40536-0200 USA
• Email:
  bhennig@uky.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  University of Kentucky, Lexington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20120701
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• End Date:
  20240630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:13a67ade9e6dd69222b2563a31a589144efa292d723cb8a4edeaca044a298836d45293717bb0ff5e60116188495862fbbcf54101b3e0017a017c56685cfd6bcf
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225167/cdc_225167_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 181.92 KB ]