The importance of environmental exposures to physical, mental and social well-being

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
Michael Riediker, Hillel S Koren

Abstract

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" states the WHO. However, the current focus in this important area seems to be on reducing diseases, while less attention is paid on aspects how to increase the well-being of populations. This paper reviews three examples where well-being has drawn attention of the public and policy makers, and compares the policies of two wealthy countries. The first example is noise. Noise can reduce sleep quality and cause physiological, mental, and social effects. In Switzerland, noise receives a lot of attention by the public. Swiss laws are extensive, e.g., they prohibit trucks and planes from traveling at night. In the USA, there is little public attention and no national strategy against environmental noise. The second example is aesthetics and recreation. Many humans seek contact with the beauty of nature. The USA and Switzerland have similar strategies for achieving clear waters, while the protection of scenic views is approached very differently. Lifestyle is the last example. In the USA, the desire for individual freedom is a leading cause for suburban sprawl, a car-dependent sedentary lifestyle resulting in obesi...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1995·Environmental Health Perspectives·H S Koren
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Citations

Apr 12, 2014·BMC Psychiatry·Jerome SarrisMichael Berk
Apr 15, 2015·Sensors·Anna NakoniecznaWojciech Skierucha
Mar 2, 2016·Applied Radiation and Isotopes : Including Data, Instrumentation and Methods for Use in Agriculture, Industry and Medicine·L F Pires, M E Medhat
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Dec 24, 2020·Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health·Eunhwa ChoiNiranjan Shrestha

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