Individual health-related behavior is among the most influential yet modifiable factors affecting both climate change and chronic disease. To encourage behaviors bringing about environmental and health co-benefits, it is important to understand the underlying factors of behavior change for healthy and sustainable lifestyles. One area of potential overlap concerns people’s health consciousness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health consciousness and pro-environmental behavior. We investigated whether health consciousness correlates with five clusters of pro-environmental behaviors: sustainable food consumption, recycling, green purchasing, sustainable mobility, and energy saving. Research data were collected via cross-sectional survey involving a representative sample of n = 1011 Italian citizens. Statistically significant differences emerged in the frequency of the different classes of pro-environmental behaviors: people living in Italy most frequently implement sustainable behaviors related to energy saving and recycling while sustainable mobility behaviors are the least implemented. Moreover, the stepwise linear regression model demonstrated the predictive role of citizens’ health consciousness on the adoption of specific classes of pro-environmental behaviors showing how higher involvement in one’s own health determines higher levels of pro-environmental behaviors. These results highlight the relevance of developing and testing complex programs featuring educational, sensitization, and structural strategies to increase citizens involvement in public health and pro-environmental behaviors.
Antenatal exposures to maternal stress and to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) have been independently associated with developmental outcomes in early infancy and beyond. Knowledge about their joint impact, as well as possible biological mechanisms of their effects, is still limited. Both PM2.5 and maternal stress exposure during pregnancy might result in altered patterns of DNA methylation in specific stress-related genes, such as the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4 DNAm), that might, in turn, influence infant development. Here, we investigated the independent and interactive influence of variations in antenatal exposures to maternal pandemic-related stress (PRS) and PM2.5 on SLC6A4 DNAm levels in newborns. Mother–infant dyads (N=307) were enrolled at delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infants’ methylation status was assessed in 13 CpG sites within the SLC6A4 gene’s region (chr17:28562750–28562958) in buccal cells at birth and women retrospectively report on PRS. PM2.5 exposure over gestation and at each gestational trimester was estimated using a spatiotemporal model based on residential address. Higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm at 6 CpG sites were found in newborns born to mothers reporting higher levels of antenatal PRS and greater PM2.5 exposure across gestation, while adjusting for infant’s sex. These effects were especially evident when exposure to elevated PM2.5 occurred during the second trimester of pregnancy. Understanding the interplay between environmental and individual-level stressors has important implications for the improvement of mother-infant health during and after the pandemic.
Antenatal exposures to maternal stress and to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) have been independently associated with developmental outcomes in early infancy and beyond. Knowledge about their joint impact, as well as possible biological mechanisms of their effects, is still limited. Both PM 2.5 and maternal stress exposure during pregnancy might result in altered patterns of DNA methylation in speci c stress-related genes, such as the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4 DNAm), that might, in turn, in uence infant development. Here, we investigated the independent and interactive in uence of variations in antenatal exposures to maternal pandemic-related stress (PRS) and PM 2.5 on SLC6A4 DNAm levels in newborns. Mother-infant dyads (N=307) were enrolled at delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infants' methylation status was assessed in 13 CpG sites within the SLC6A4 gene's region (chr17:28562750-28562958) in buccal cells at birth and women retrospectively report on PRS. PM 2.5 exposure over gestation and at each gestational trimester was estimated using a spatiotemporal model based on residential address. Higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm at 6 CpG sites were found in newborns born to mothers reporting higher levels of antenatal PRS and greater PM 2.5 exposure across gestation, while adjusting for infant's sex. These effects were especially evident when exposure to elevated PM 2.5 occurred during the second trimester of pregnancy. Understanding the interplay between environmental and individual-level stressors has important implications for the improvement of mother-infant health during and after the pandemic.
Individual behavior is one of the most influential factors affecting both environmental change and chronic disease development. To encourage behaviors bringing about environmental and health co-benefits, it is important to understand the underlying factors of behavior change for healthy and sustainable lifestyles. One area of potential overlap concerns people's health consciousness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health consciousness and pro-environmental behavior. We investigated whether health consciousness correlates with five clusters of pro-environmental behaviors: sustainable food consumption, recycling, green purchasing, sustainable mobility, and energy saving. Research data were collected via cross-sectional survey involving a representative sample of 1001 Italian citizens. Statistically significant differences emerged in the frequency of the different classes of pro-environmental behaviors: Italians most frequently implement sustainable behaviors related to energy saving and recycling while sustainable mobility behaviors are the least implemented. Moreover, stepwise linear regression model demonstrated the predictive role of citizens’ health consciousness on the adoption of specific classes of pro-environmental behaviors showing how higher involvement in one’s own health determines higher levels of pro-environmental behaviors. This evidence highlights the importance of creating educational interventions and campaigns to increase involvement in health in order to rise pro-environmental behaviors.
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