CURRENT ISSUE

ABSTRACT: Lead bullets and gunshot frequently fragment on impact in game animals and the resulting lead particles are bioavailable. Dietary exposure to this lead source can present health risks to vulnerable groups including young children and frequent consumers such as hunters, subsistence indigenous communities, and recipients of game meat from food banks. Many of the frequent game meat consumers in the European Union (EU) are likely to be drawn from the 13.8 million people, including 1.1 million young children, belonging to hunters’ households. It is estimated that 10 million people are potentially at risk in the USA. National food and health advisories and regulatory considerations appear confined to Europe. Despite the European Commission requesting restrictions on lead ammunition, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and individual countries have not adequately recognized this lead source nor developed mitigation measures. In contrast, several agreements administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), have well-developed risk reduction strategies for lead ammunition exposure of wildlife. These agencies could play a leadership role, stimulating appropriate international accords and national regulatory changes requiring the use of non-lead ammunition. Establishing a maximum allowable level of lead in game meat under FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius and EU Regulation 1881/2006, and harmonizing inter-agency human and environmental health approaches would be an important start.

ABSTRACT: Background: Climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21^st century. Rising sea levels are one particularly concerning manifestation of this and many of the world’s largest cities are vulnerable to sea level rise (SLR). Thus, urban climate adaptation and mitigation policies are increasingly important to protect population health.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether being at risk of SLR was associated with city-level climate action. It also aimed to assess the wider drivers of climate action in cities, in order to guide ongoing efforts to motivate climate action, assess public health preparedness and identify research gaps.
Methods: This is an ecological cross-sectional study using secondary data from CDP, the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), World Bank, United Nations Cities and EM-DAT (Emergency Events Database). The study population consisted of 517 cities who participated in CDP’s 2019 Cities Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to assess the relationship between risk of SLR and city-level climate action, and secondly, to assess the wider determinants of city-level climate action.
Results: There was evidence of crude associations between risk of SLR and three outcome variables representing city-level climate action. However, after adjusting for confounding variables, these crude associations disappeared. World region, national income status and urban population were shown to be stronger predictors of city-level climate action.
Conclusion: It is concerning for population health that there is no association demonstrated between risk of SLR and climate action. This could indicate a lack of awareness of the risks posed by SLR within urban governance. To fulfil their health protection responsibilities, it is essential that public health professionals take a leading role in advocating for climate action.

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Worldwide, the COVID-19 epidemic remains a serious as an important health problem. Vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and other products that we know as nutritional supplements have received a lot of attention since the beginning of the pandemic, considering their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune system effects. The aims of this study are to evaluate the reasons and prevalence of the take of nutritional supplements in addition to the normal diet during the COVID-19 pandemic and to observe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals’ efforts to live a healthy life.
Material-Method: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The data of the study was obtained through an online questionnaire containing 24 questions. The application of the questionnaire was carried out between August 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021. The online survey was delivered to people aged 18 and over living in Turkey by snowball method. Statistical evaluation was done with SPSS (statistical packet for the social science) 20.0 package program. Chi-square analysis was taken in the evaluation of categorical data.
Results: The study group was formed with 513 people. While 225 (43.9%) participants in the study received nutritional supplements, 288 (56.1%) individuals reported that they did not take nutritional supplements. The frequency of using nutritional supplements was higher in women (50.9%) than in men (29.6%) (p<0.001). The frequency of taking nutritional supplements in the undergraduate-graduate education group was higher than in the other groups (p<0.05). The frequency of taking nutritional supplements was found to be higher in the high monthly income group (4,001 ₺ and above) than in the other groups (p<0.05). The frequency of taking nutritional supplements (67.0%) was higher in those who had COVID-19 infection (38.9%) than in those who did not (p<0.05). Multivitamin was the most common combination of nutritional supplement taken in those taking nutritional supplements (10, 4.4%). Those who took nutritional supplements believed more than the other group that nutritional supplements taken in appropriate doses protected against COVID-19 infection (p<0.01).
Conclusion: For the study group, it is recommended that family physicians provide counseling on the correct take of other nutritional supplements other than multivitamins.