Air pollution in Beijing reduces the weight of the fetus

Weight is an important factor for babies when they are born. Children who are too low in weight often face the risk of slow, less intelligent development and many latent diseases. Recently, a three-year study in Beijing showed that air pollution could increase the incidence of low birth weight before birth.

In Beijing, air pollution causes weight loss in the fetus

It is easy to say that pollution causes bad effects on human health. But what are the implications and how much do we need to have accurate scientific studies. Unfortunately, the results of this research are based on real people, raising an alarm for the economic-environmental balance.

Lack of weight can cause long-term effects

Skeptics will ask - how do we know for sure that light weight comes from air pollution? Maternal nutritional conditions may also be the cause. Maternal ill health may also be the cause. Can the mother be an immigrant from a poorer quality medical area to live in, or maybe because she does not "trust " the quality of the hospital in the province?

The answer comes from the " coincidence" of the Beijing government when the country of 1.35 billion hosted the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics in the same year. Because of " bad " pollution of the air, the organizers of China try to improve the image of their capital by setting regulations such as restricting the use of vehicles, closing some factories as well as temporarily stop construction of new buildings during the 6-7 week period during the event.

And these " economic losses " also paid off, the concentration of pollutants in Beijing air decreased significantly, SO2 decreased by 60%, CO by 48%, NO2 by 43% . The capital is no longer the most polluted capital in the world (the Indian capital "promoted " soon after). The Chinese "reputation" is partially recovered.

The Beijing government has tried to reduce pollution in the two Olympics

But more important is the research results of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). They collected fetal data of 83,672 women who were 8 months pregnant in 4 urban districts of Beijing in 3 years from 2007 to 2008 - 2009 (in months corresponding to 2 sporting events). And they found that the average weight of babies born in 2008 was 23 grams higher than those of 2007 and 2009 . It should be noted that after two sports events took place, Beijing's restrictions on pollution were abolished because of the " economic goal".

The above result is the answer for those who doubt the connection of air pollution to the weight of babies. And more importantly, the last months of pregnancy are the most important stages for fetal development, especially the development of the nervous system, cardiovascular system as well as bone structure. Incomplete development will lead to the risks listed above.

But the results of this study also give us another economic problem - what are the long-term economic benefits? Junfeng Zhang, MSc. At Duke Kunshan University, co-author of the study, said: " While Beijing's pollution is 'famous', many other cities in the world are facing similar problems. This research shows that pollution control - even in the short term (6-7 weeks like Beijing did) - can also bring public health benefits . " However, the real question is, how long can we limit " economic development "?

But everything went back to where it was right after

One thing is for sure, every country will not be able to stop economic development within a few months, not counting years or decades. This means that pollution cannot be stopped but can only move places from one place to another , for example, Western countries move factories to Eastern countries. And not only produce goods, economies also need energy as well as transportation to keep their machines running. Try, for example, 24/7 advertising panels or trips that take goods from one city to another, ocean freight trips between one country or another, flights .

Simply put, we can't stop pollution because our lives depend on it!

And many other places are the same

But look more broadly, to our children and grandchildren.What will happen if future generations have more sick people and poor health than the current generation? We all know that people are both a force to consume products, but also a productive force. If the future generation is in poor health, suppose instead of working continuously for 30 years, there will be only 15 - 20 years, so what happens when we are over working age while our children also lose labor power? So who will make money for the whole family, our grandchildren when they just go to high school or high school?

Give the Earth a hand?No, give us a hand!

And that is not to mention the cost of medical treatment. Poor health means more risk of illness. For example, cardiovascular disease or cancer or tuberculosis or diabetes or high blood pressure . If the future is like that, can we still dream of iPhone or Galaxy?

We "grow economically" today but if 20 years later, do our children and grandchildren have anything to "grow"?