Resumen Se planteó como objetivo identificar cuáles y de qué tipo son los alimentos industrializados modernos que los adolescentes con sobrepeso y obesidad consumen y la percepción que tienen de ellos. El estudio fue de tipo cuali-cuantitativo, descriptivo e interpretativo; se llevó a cabo con estudiantes adolescentes de cuatro secundarias del municipio de Abalá, Yucatán, México. Constó de tres etapas, en la primera se realizaron mediciones antropométricas a 292 estudiantes de las secundarias para obtener el Índice de Masa Corporal, en la segunda se seleccionaron al azar 58 estudiantes que presentaron sobrepeso y obesidad; a los cuales se les aplicó un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos. En la tercera etapa se realizaron cuatro grupos focales para conocer la percepción respecto al consumo de alimentos. Se observó una ingesta alta de alimentos industrializados modernos en el desayuno, receso escolar y cena; en el tiempo de la comida aún se consumen preparaciones tradicionales. Existe una transculturación de la alimentación en los adolescentes.

Palabras Clave: patrón de uso, exposición laboral, ecosistemas, contaminación, agricultura RESUMENEl presente trabajo analiza la investigación que se ha llevado a cabo en México con relación al uso y efecto de los plaguicidas en el ambiente y salud humana. Se revisaron 394 artículos publicados en los últimos 20 años en revistas indizadas o arbitradas. Las publicaciones se agruparon en 7 temas principales: 1) patrón de uso de plaguicidas, 2) efectos en el ambiente; 3) estudios ecotoxicológicos; 4) exposición en población humana; 5) residuos en alimentos; 6) toxicología de plaguicidas (estudios in vitro e in vivo); y 7) bioplaguicidas y biorremediación. El análisis de estas investigaciones indican que actualmente se utilizan Plaguicidas Altamente Peligrosos (PAPs) en las zonas agrícolas del país, su uso histórico y actual se relaciona con efectos negativos en ecosistemas terrestres y costeros, se han reportado efectos en la salud de los trabajadores agrícolas y sus familias, tales como alteraciones hematológicas, hormonales, daños genéticos, alteraciones del comportamiento y daños celulares; los niños constituyen el grupo más vulnerable a la exposición, además se han documentado daños genéticos, reproductivos y neuronales en modelos celulares y en organismos de laboratorio y se reportan residuos en alimentos como leche, hortalizas y granos. Como medidas de mitigación, se documentan procesos de biorremediación de suelos y agua contaminada,

Background: The child labor situation has been associated with precarious job conditions and poor health conditions because children are often exposed to unsafe work environments, stressful psycho-social work conditions, scarce or no access to protective services, and heavy work burdens. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate markers of exposure to benzene through the exposure biomarker trans, trans-muconic acid (tt-MA), and biomarkers of early renal damage in children who work in sites that are under precarious job conditions. Method: Samples of urine were obtained from children (aged 6–12 years old) who resided in Ticul, Yucatan, Mexico. Exposure to benzene was assessed through trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA). Evaluated renal damage biomarkers were: Cystatin-C (Cys-C), Osteopontin (OPN), α1-Microglobulin (α1-MG) and Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL). Findings: Children who live where the workplace is inside the dwelling presented higher mean levels of tt-MA (0.59 mg/g creatinine) compared with those who live away from the workshops (0.19 mg/g creatinine). Likewise, mean levels of NGAL (4.7, 5.2 ng/ml), albuminuria (10, 10 ng/ml), Cys-C (11.8, 7.5 ng/ml), OPN (224.4, 226.5 ng/ml) and α1-MG (96.6, 73.6 ng/ml) were found in children where the workplace was inside the dwelling and outside, respectively. Conclusion: Our data indicate that the children who work under precarious job conditions are exposed to benzene, and they exhibit protein levels that suggest renal damage in a population in precarious working conditions. Therefore, the child population should be considered as the most vulnerable and susceptible to suffer adverse health effects.

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The adverse effects of pesticides on public health have been well documented in different populations across the world. Families of agricultural workers, particularly their wives, face pesticide exposures through a number of complex patterns even when they do not directly engage in agricultural work. Nonetheless, these patterns of exposure among women in agricultural communities remain understudied. Unfortunately, in Mexico there are no studies examining these patterns yet. In consequence, the main goals of this study were to: 1) evaluate pesticide exposure in a rural community of Southeast Mexico, 2) examine the patterns of environmental and para-occupational pesticide exposure, and 3) document the para-occupational and environmental pesticide exposure among women who are not agricultural workers but have an agricultural family or are wives of agricultural workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 78 women who did not themselves participate in any agricultural activity, but lived in an agricultural community. Questionnaires and interviews were used to construct a Pesticide Exposure Index (PEI) estimating the degree of pesticide exposure among women from agricultural families and wives of agricultural workers. Through the PEI we showed that women living in agricultural communities using pesticides are inherently exposed to a certain level of pesticides. With the PEI we showed that women from agricultural families, especially wives of agricultural workers, have a long-term para-occupational pesticide exposure that should not be underestimated because they are not agricultural workers.

Palabras clave: plaguicidas, colinesterasas, factores preanalíticos y analíticos RESUMEN La determinación de las actividades acetilcolinesterasa (AChE) y butirilcolinesterasa (BuChE) es ampliamente utilizada en estudios de monitoreo biológico para evaluar la exposición a compuestos anticolinesterásicos y sus efectos. No obstante, se ha observado una amplia variabilidad en los valores considerados como normales para estas actividades enzimáticas, lo que puede deberse a diversos factores. Uno de los que puede tener más influencia es la falta de parámetros preanalíticos y analíticos estandarizados. En este sentido, el objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer, con una metodología consensuada, los intervalos de las actividades AChE y BuChE en individuos no expuestos ocupacionalmente a compuestos anticolinesterásicos en diferentes estados de la república mexicana. Se observó que el 22 % de los laboratorios participantes reportaron valores de actividad AChE dentro del rango considerado como normal. Respecto a la actividad BuChE, el 67 % reportó valores dentro del rango para una población no expuesta a compuestos anticolinesterásicos. Los resultados revelaron una importante variabilidad en los valores de las actividades AChE y BuChE, que muestran la necesidad de capacitación continua entre los analistas y la homogeneización de las metodologías.

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Background:The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 25% of global morbidity and one-third of childhood morbidity may be attributable to environment. Low and high-income countries displayed different environmental risks. Mexico demonstrates the necessity for creating a national environmental health program. In southeastern Mexico, Tixméhuac, is a Mayan community with a high marginalization degree and social backwardness. The main childhood morbidities are acute and chronic diseases.Objective:The aim of the study was to recognize environmental risks for children’s health in Tixméhauc, Yucatan State.Methods:A total of one hundred children under five years old participated. To identify the environmental risks at home, items from the Green Sheet Guidance (WHO), Salamanca General Survey and Environmental Clinical History were used. To know the prevalence of respiratory diseases and asthma, the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) survey was used. Potentially hazardous sites were identified partially using the Methodology for Identification and Evaluation of Health Hazards in Contaminated Sites from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).Findings:The low stature of, malnutrition, presence of wheezing and asthma symptoms in children were higher than expected. The suspected cases of parasitosis and vector-borne disease occurred in 50% of the children. Indoor air quality perception was associated with respiratory pathology history; housing quality was related to suspected cases of vector-borne diseases; drinking water quality was linked to suspected cases of parasitosis. Risk areas in the community include agricultural activity, which has led to deposits of empty containers of agrochemicals and electronic waste among solid waste dump.Conclusion:This study presents observed environmental risks to children in a low development country and in developing countries. The community has a low perception of the environmental risk. The need for public health programs reducing risks to children’s environmental health is imperative.