Environmental conditions experienced from early life impact long-term health, according to Dr. Rosalind J. Wright of the Icahn School of Medicine.
Dan Falk reports for Undark Magazine.
In short:
- Dr. Rosalind J. Wright emphasizes the role of environmental factors, such as air pollution, in chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes.
- Wright notes a disproportionate burden of these diseases in lower-income and minority communities, linked to their environmental exposures.
- Innovative tools, like pollutant-detecting bracelets, are helping researchers understand individual exposure levels and their health impacts.
Key quote:
“The trajectory is set, often, very early on. And it’s really a host of environmental factors acting together and cumulatively.”
— Dr. Rosalind J. Wright, physician at the Icahn School of Medicine
Why this matters:
Studies increasingly show that the environments we inhabit—filled with pollutants, toxics, and other hazardous substances—can lay the groundwork for chronic diseases, starting from a young age. Alarmingly, these exposures disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, exacerbating health inequities.
