Health Factors
There are a variety of health factors that impact diseases in France. These include environmental, occupational, nutritional, and unintentional injuries. The two health factors that will be discussed are environmental and nutritional.
Environmental health issues have a large impact on the global burden of disease. These impacts occur at the individual, household, community, and global levels (Skolnik, 2019).
Nutritional status is a major determinant of health status... It is a major determinant of the birthweight of children, how children grow, and the extent to which their cognitive functions develop properly. Nutrition status is also closely linked with the strength of one’s immune system and one’s ability to stay healthy (Skolnik, 2019).
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Environmental Health Factors That Affect The French
In 2020, two out of three French citizens consider pesticides and air pollution to be a high or very high risk for the French population. As was the case in previous years, respondents rank pollution risks to water and soil as the most threatening. On the other hand, concerns about the nuclear industry have decreased. In 2018, over half the French population considered risks caused by radioactive waste and nuclear power plants to be high or very high. Two years later, this fell by 11 and 13 points respectively. Finally, the perception of risks due to chemical activities (facilities and waste) was still fairly high in 2020 (France, 2021).
Nutritional Health Factors That Affect The French
France has shown limited progress towards achieving the diet-related non-communicable disease (NCD) targets. 22.9% of adult (aged 18 years and over) women and 24.6% of adult men are living with obesity. France's obesity prevalence is lower than the regional average of 25.3% for women and 24.9% for men (Global Nutrition Report, n.d.).
Health Promotion
Environmental Health Promotion
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Wear N95 face masks
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Choose travel routes that minimize air pollution exposure
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Monitor air pollution levels
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Optimize household ventilation
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Treat and manage respiratory conditions
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Modify diet and supplement with antioxidants or anti-inflammatory agents
(Estaquio et al, 2008)
Nutritional Health Promotion
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Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods
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Eat foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol
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Avoid foods high in saturated fat and trans fat
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Limit salt and sugar
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Do not drink too much alcohol
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Keep a healthy weight
(CDC, 2023)
Research Articles
According to a research article, "[traffic-related air pollution] levels decline steeply with increasing distance from motorized vehicles, with up to 10 times lower concentrations of black carbon when 10 [meters] away from traffic roads. Therefore, increasing the distance between pedestrians and cyclists from vehicle emissions is a fundamental aim" (Carlsten et al, 2020). The article stress the importance of avoiding congested routes such as intersections because they have TRAP levels 29 times higher than those found during free-flowing traffic conditions. The article also states that "roads in urban areas with open space and heterogeneous building morphology had around 2–3-fold lower concentrations of traffic emissions" (Carlsten et al, 2020). Therefore, people should be mindful about their commuting routes and avoid congested areas as this can help decrease exposure to TRAP.
In relation to nutrition and healthy eating one research article goes on to explain the importance of a healthy diet. This research article also discuses the benefits of different diets such as the Mediterranean diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), Nordic diet, and traditional Asian diets. According to the article, "Healthy diets, arising either by tradition or design, share many common features and generally align with the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. In comparison with a Western diet, these healthier alternatives are higher in plant-based foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts and lower in animal-based foods, particularly fatty and processed meats. Evidence from epidemiologic studies and clinical trials indicates that these types of dietary patterns reduce risks of NCDs ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer" (Cena & Calder, 2020).
References
Carlsten, C., Salvi, S., Wong, G. W., & Chung, K. F. (2020). Personal strategies to minimise effects of air pollution on respiratory health: advice for providers, patients and the public. The European Respiratory Journal, 55(6), 1902056. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.02056-2019
CDC. (2023). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/prevention.htm
Cena, H., & Calder, P. C. (2020). Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for the Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease. Nutrients, 12(2), 334. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020334
France. (2021). France's 2021 Environmental Performance Review. https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2022-08/10_the_french_population’s_environ_mental_concerns.pdf
Global Nutrition Report. (n.d.). Country Nutrition Profiles. https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/europe/western-europe/france/
Skolnik, R. (2019). Global Health 101. Essential Public Health. (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.