AI Article Synopsis
- Extended exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) poses a health risk to children in primary schools due to their increased vulnerability compared to adults.
- A study measured UFP concentrations in six urban and two rural primary schools in northern Portugal, finding significantly higher levels in urban schools.
- Factors such as classroom size, proximity to the ground, and specific materials used in the school environment were linked to higher indoor UFP levels, while UFP concentrations were inversely related to indoor CO2 levels.
Article Abstract
Extended exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) may lead to consequences in children due to their increased susceptibility when compared to older individuals. Since children spend in average 8 h/day in primary schools, assessing the number concentrations of UFPs in these institutions is important in order to evaluate the health risk for children in primary schools caused by indoor air pollution. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess and determine the sources of indoor UFP number concentrations in urban and rural Portuguese primary schools. Indoor and outdoor ultrafine particle (UFP) number concentrations were measured in six urban schools (US) and two rural schools (RS) located in the north of Portugal, during the heating season. The mean number concentrations of indoor UFPs were significantly higher in urban schools than in rural ones (10.4 × 10(3) and 5.7 × 10(3) pt/cm(3), respectively). Higher UFP levels were associated with higher squared meters per student, floor levels closer to the ground, chalk boards, furniture or floor covering materials made of wood and windows with double-glazing. Indoor number concentrations of ultrafine-particles were inversely correlated with indoor CO2 levels. In the present work, indoor and outdoor concentrations of UFPs in public primary schools located in urban and rural areas were assessed, and the main sources were identified for each environment. The results not only showed that UFP pollution is present in augmented concentrations in US when compared to RS but also revealed some classroom/school characteristics that influence the concentrations of UFPs in primary schools.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6555-y | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Validity of the MED4CHILD tool for assessing adherence to the Mediterranean diet in preschool children.
Eur J Pediatr
January 2025
Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), 50009, Saragossa, Spain.
Unlabelled: Most of the available tools to assess adherence to Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) were constructed for adults, having limited applicability to children and adolescents. The aim of this study is to validate a specific questionnaire to assess adherence to MedDiet in children aged 3 to 6 years (MED4CHILD questionnaire). The validation was performed in a baseline examination of a cohort of children who were recruited in schools in seven cities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring Health Sciences Students' Perspectives on Using Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study.
Nurs Health Sci
March 2025
Faculty of Nursing, Nursing Department, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic settings has the potential to revolutionize learning experiences, enhance educational outcomes, and streamline academic processes. The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of Lebanese health sciences students regarding the use of generative AI in higher education. A qualitative descriptive research design informed by descriptive phenomenology was employed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Impact of Social Media on Disordered Eating: Insights from Israel.
Nutrients
January 2025
Department of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel.
Background: Social media platforms have become integral to daily life and increasingly disseminate health, nutrition, and food information. While these platforms can offer evidence-based nutrition education and meal planning guidance, a significant portion of content promotes unrealistic beauty standards and unhealthy weight-loss practices, potentially contributing to disordered eating behaviors. The increasing prevalence of disordered eating, characterized by abnormal eating behaviors and attitudes, has become a global public health concern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19 Implications on School Dietary Behavior in Chinese College Students: Based on the Longitudinal Assessment of Dietary Records from Intelligent Ordering System.
Nutrients
December 2024
School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, 130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the dietary behavior of college students; however, the persistence of the changes in dietary behavior remains uncertain. This study aims to explore the changes in school food consumption and dietary quality of college students during three distinct COVID-19 periods: pre-epidemic (stage T1), epidemic (stage T2), and post-COVID-19 epidemic (stage T3).
Methods: The persistent 6-year data, involving 3,484,081 dietary records from January 2018 to December 2023, for college students were acquired from the "Intelligent Ordering System (IOS)".
Comparative Nutritional Profile of Publicly Procured Foods for School Meals in Federal Schools in Northeastern Brazil Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic.
Nutrients
December 2024
Post-Graduation Program in Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, RN, Brazil.
Unlabelled: School meals play a critical role in supporting students' biopsychosocial growth, development, learning, academic performance, and the establishment of healthy eating habits. In public institutions, food procurement is conducted through formal public procurement processes. However, emphasizing cost-effectiveness in bidding criteria, such as prioritizing the lowest product price, may inadvertently encourage the acquisition of foods high in critical nutrients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!