Authors : Priyanka Deshpande, Prajakta J. Nande
Page Nos : 148-156
Description :
With modernization, industrialization and advanced technology, pollution and pollutants
have become a part of our life. Day by day the graph of pollution is going up and that of
human health is going down. Exposure to pollutants is inevitable, may it be an air
pollutant, water pollutant, radioactive pollutants or soil pollutants. The damage ranges
from mild tissue irritation to development of carcinogenic cells and DNA damage. People
living and working in industrial area, children, pregnant women and foetus in her womb are
vulnerable to these hazardous exposures. Food can be a medium for pollutants to entre in a
human body. Toxic chemicals can be introduced into food while it is being grown, processed
or stored. Once these toxic compounds are entered and absorbed by human body, they may
interact with nutritional status. If nutritional status of an individual is good, one can
sustain these illnesses for some period. But if it is not and the exposure is regular it is
possible that toxicants may affect nutrient absorption and stores resulting in micronutrient
deficiency or specific health outcome. Many studies have shown that exposure to
polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, lead affected cognitive and endocrine development of
children negatively. Many pollutants are transferred prenatally as well as postnatally which
resulted in reduced birth weight, low intelligent quotient, and behavioural changes as
well.Balanced diet is a powerful tool in protecting, healing and overcoming the dangerous
effects of pollutants on human body.
Keywords: pollutants, nutrition, toxicants, balanced diet
