How does childhood exposure to agricultural land influence inflammatory bowel disease risk?
How does childhood exposure to agricultural land influence inflammatory bowel disease risk? News-Medical.Net
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Influence of Environmental Exposures on the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
A recent study published in eClinicalMedicine examined the impact of environmental exposures in early life on the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn’s disease (CD).
Background
The prevalence of IBD and its subtypes (UC and CD) has increased worldwide, posing a significant burden to individuals, society, and healthcare systems. However, the risk factors and mechanisms of IBD remain unclear. The emergence of IBD in the West and recently industrialized nations has coincided with urbanization and the loss of natural environments.
Previous studies have shown the protective effects of blue and green spaces against IBD. However, the impact of relevant exposures, such as biodiversity and agricultural land use, in early life on IBD is still unknown.
Given the rapid loss of natural environments due to biodiversity and climate crises, understanding the role of environmental exposure in health and disease is crucial.
About the Study
In this study, researchers investigated the role of environmental exposures in early life on the risk of IBD. The study included individuals born in Denmark between January 1, 1995, and August 1, 2018, who were Danish residents for at least two years post-birth, and whose mothers were also residents during pregnancy.
The environmental exposure variables considered were biodiversity, agricultural land use, blue space, green space, urban space, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
Each participant was assigned an exposure value based on their residential municipality during the exposure window from pregnancy until two years post-birth. In cases where participants changed their residential municipality during this window, a weighted average was assigned. The CORINE Land Cover Inventory was used as the data source for land cover.
The study categorized each unit as green space, water bodies, agricultural land, or urban space. Green space referred to the proportion of land classified as forest or natural/urban green areas, while agricultural land use referred to the proportion of municipal land classified as agricultural areas. Biodiversity was defined using the bioscore, a measure of local flora and fauna. Urban space represented the proportion of municipal land covering urban areas, excluding green urban areas. Blue space referred to the proportion of municipal land within 600 meters of a water body. NDVI was determined by comparing light reflectance in the red and near-infrared spectra.
All participants were followed from two years post-birth until the diagnosis of IBD, death, emigration, or September 1, 2020.
The study used Cox proportional hazard regression to investigate the associations between exposures and primary outcomes (IBD) and secondary outcomes (UC and CD). Each exposure was categorized into quartiles, with the lowest quartile serving as the reference.
Findings
The study included over 1.4 million individuals out of more than 1.51 million people born in Denmark during the specified period. Among these participants, 3,768 were diagnosed with IBD.
The third quartile of agricultural land use was associated with a higher risk of IBD compared to the reference quartile. On the other hand, the third quartile of biodiversity was associated with a lower risk of IBD. No significant associations were observed for blue space, urban space, green space, and NDVI.
Regarding CD risk, individuals exposed to the highest, second, or third quartiles of agricultural land use had a higher risk compared to those in the lowest quartile. The third quartile of biodiversity was associated with a lower CD risk. The highest quartile of green space was associated with a higher risk of CD. No associations were found between quartiles of other environmental variables and CD risk.
For UC risk, the third quartile of green space was associated with an increased risk. No significant associations were observed between the remaining exposures and UC risk.
Conclusions
The study findings suggest that early life exposure to agricultural land use increases the risk of CD, while exposures to green space and biodiversity are protective against IBD. However, no conclusive impact of early-life environmental exposures on the risk of UC was found. Additionally, no significant associations were observed between blue space, urban space, or NDVI and the risks of CD and UC. The robustness of these findings remained consistent across different definitions of exposures.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
- Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.
The article discusses the risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn’s disease (CD), which are non-communicable diseases. The study aims to understand the impact of environmental exposures on the risk of these diseases, aligning with SDG 3’s goal of promoting good health and well-being. Target 3.4 specifically addresses reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases, which is relevant to the study’s focus on IBD.
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SDG 15: Life on Land
- Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
- Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index.
The article highlights the role of environmental exposures, including biodiversity and agricultural land use, in early life on the risk of IBD. This aligns with SDG 15’s focus on protecting and preserving life on land. Target 15.5 specifically addresses the need to reduce the degradation of natural habitats and halt the loss of biodiversity, which relates to the study’s investigation of the impact of biodiversity on IBD risk.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. | Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. | Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: news-medical.net
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