TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Children's health in Latin America: the influence of environmental exposures
JO  - Environmental health perspectives
A1  - Laborde, Amalia
A1  - Tomasina, Fernando
A1  - Bianchi, Fabrizio
A1  - Bruné, Marie-Noel
A1  - Buka, Irena
A1  - Comba, Pietro
A1  - Corra, Lilian
A1  - Cori, Liliana
A1  - Duffert, Christin M.
A1  - Harari, Raúl
A1  - Iavarone, Ivano
A1  - McDiarmid, Melissa A.
A1  - Gray, Kimberly A.
A1  - Sly, Peter D.
A1  - Soares, Agnes
A1  - Suk, William A.
A1  - Landrigan, Philip J.
SP  - 201
EP  - 209
VL  - 123
IS  - 3
N2  - BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are increasing among children in Latin America. <br><br>OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To examine environmental risk factors for chronic disease in Latin American children and to develop a strategic initiative for control of these exposures, the World Health Organization (WHO) including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Collegium Ramazzini, and Latin American scientists reviewed regional and relevant global data. <br><br>FINDINGS: Industrial development and urbanization are proceeding rapidly in Latin America and environmental pollution has become widespread. Environmental threats to children's health include traditional hazards such as indoor air pollution and drinking water contamination; as well as the newer hazards of urban air pollution; toxic chemicals such as lead, asbestos, mercury, arsenic, and pesticides; hazardous and electronic waste; and climate change. The mix of traditional and modern hazards varies greatly across and within countries reflecting industrialization, urbanization and socioeconomic forces. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: To control environmental threats to children's health in Latin America, WHO, including PAHO will focus on the most highly prevalent and serious hazards - indoor and outdoor air pollution, water pollution, and toxic chemicals. Strategies for controlling these hazards include developing tracking data on regional trends in children's environmental health (CEH); building a network of Collaborating Centres; promoting biomedical research in CEH; building regional capacity; supporting development of evidence-based prevention policies; studying the economic costs of chronic diseases in children; and developing platforms for dialogue with relevant stakeholders.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0091-6765
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408292
ID  - ref1
ER  -