The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 5th June 2025 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Exposomics for Better Environmental Health

Why in News?

Exposomics is a new science that looks at how all the things we come into contact with in our environment affect our health. This includes things like air and water quality, chemicals in food, and even the way we live and work. By studying these factors closely, scientists hope to understand what causes diseases and how to prevent them better. This research is important because it can help create better ways to keep people healthy and reduce the risk of getting sick.

Introduction 

• Economic Growth and Environment: Rapid growth in India is increasing the scale and complexity of environmental exposures and their links to lifestyles.
• High Disease Burden and New Approaches: India faces 25% of global environmental diseases, needing integrated health risk assessments for better management.
• Need for Complete Environmental Factors: Including all environmental factors in disease studies is crucial to avoid worsening health inequalities and rising costs.
• Exposomics for Better Prevention: Using exposomics helps understand disease causes fully and develop holistic prevention.
• Investing in Health Surveillance: Long-term environmental health monitoring combined with digital health and data science is vital.

Environmental disease burdenWHO and Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study:

• The WHO began estimating the burden of diseases caused by environmental factors in 2000, which laid the groundwork for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.
• In the most recent GBD cycle (2021), researchers evaluated 88 different risk factors to identify the major contributors to global health issues.

Key Statistics from GBD 2021:

• Global Deaths (Millions):12.8 million deaths were attributed to environmental and occupational risks, accounting for 18.9% of total deaths worldwide.
• Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) (%):14.4% of DALYs were linked to environmental and occupational risks.
• Ambient PM2.5 Air Pollution:4.7 million deaths and 4.2% of DALYs were attributed to ambient PM2.5 air pollution.
• Household Air Pollution (solid fuels):3.1 million deaths and 3.9% of DALYs were linked to household air pollution from solid fuels.

Environmental Health Burden in India:

• Nearly 3 million deaths and 100 million DALYs in India are associated with occupational and environmental health risks.
• Occupational and environmental health risks are responsible for over 50% of non-communicable diseases in India, including heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, asthma, diabetes, and kidney disease.
• Lead exposure has a significant impact on child development, with India accounting for 154 million IQ points lost in children under five, representing about 20% of the global total.

Diseases Linked to Occupational and Environmental Health in India:

• Ischemic Heart Disease: Attributable burden greater than 50%.
• Stroke: Attributable burden greater than 50%.
• Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD): Attributable burden greater than 50%.
• Lung Cancer: Attributable burden greater than 50%.
• Asthma: Attributable burden greater than 50%.
• Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease: Increasingly linked to occupational and environmental health risks.

Limitations of Current GBD Environmental Burden Estimates:

• The current GBD estimates include only around 11 categories of environmental risk factors due to limited data on human exposure.
• Important risks such as chemical exposures, micro-plastics, solid waste, and environmental noise are missing from the assessments.
• The interactions between environmental, metabolic (e.g., high blood pressure), behavioral (e.g., smoking), genetic, and socio-economic factors are complex and not fully understood.
• Risk assessments typically focus on single factors rather than considering mixtures or lifetime exposures.

Climate Change and Environmental Risks:

• Climate change exacerbates environmental risks by increasing factors such as heat, air pollution, vector-borne diseases, storms, floods, and wildfires.
• It also impacts crop yields, worker productivity, food security, and supply chains, while contributing to mental health issues like depression and anxiety related to ecological stress and pollution.
• Climate change can lead to compound effects where multiple hazards occur simultaneously, amplifying health risks.
• Vulnerable populations with limited access to healthcare and nutrition are the most affected by these compounded risks.

Need for Better Data and Holistic Strategies:

• The current estimates of the environmental health burden are likely conservative and do not reflect the true extent of the problem.
• There is a need for better data and methodologies to include a wider range of important risk factors in GBD assessments.
• Developing holistic and scalable prevention strategies requires a deeper understanding and integration of various environmental, social, and health factors.

Understanding the Human Genome Project and the Exposome

• The Global Human Genome Project, conducted between 1990 and 2003, significantly enhanced our understanding of the genetic foundations of diseases.
• However, it also demonstrated that genetic variation alone cannot adequately predict many common diseases. For instance, genetic factors account for less than 50% of the risk for heart disease, which is a leading cause of death globally.
• The success of mapping the human genome led to the introduction of the "exposome" concept, which encompasses all environmental exposures an individual experiences throughout their lifetime and the subsequent impact on health.
• Traditional environmental health research typically follows a hypothesis-driven approach and focuses on a limited number of exposures at specific points in time. This approach fails to capture the intricate interactions of multiple exposures over a lifetime and their effects on human health.
• Exposomics aims to address this limitation by examining the interactions between external exposures (including physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial factors) and considering internal factors such as diet, lifestyle, genetics, physiology, and epigenetics.
• One of the goals of exposomics is to create a comprehensive atlas of Exposure-Wide Associations (EWAS) to complement Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Achieving this objective necessitates the integration of various interdisciplinary technologies, including:

Technologies and Methods in Exposomics

• Real-time sensor-based wearables: These devices monitor personal exposures continuously, providing data on environmental factors affecting health.
• Untargeted chemical analyses: This method involves analyzing human biomonitoring samples to detect a wide range of chemical exposures without prior targeting of specific substances.
• Organs-on-a-chip (micro-physiological systems): These in vitro systems mimic human organ functions, allowing researchers to study biological responses to various exposures in a controlled environment.
• Big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI): These technologies mine and integrate large datasets to generate evidence and insights regarding the impact of environmental exposures on health.

Challenges and Opportunities:

• One of the significant challenges in exposomics is the limited global capacity and resources to generate exposomic data.
• There is an urgent need to develop a harmonized data ecosystem for exposomic research, which includes:
• Storing, accessing, and sharing exposomic data through sustained repositories.
• Ensuring data interoperability to facilitate research and collaboration across different studies and institutions.

Mainstream Environment Within Health

• Implementing environmental health management programs in India faces significant challenges and hurdles. At first glance, exposome frameworks may appear implausible or irrelevant given these challenges.
• However, adopting technology and data-driven approaches in the health sector is already a familiar strategy in India. Exposomics presents unique opportunities to integrate environmental risk factors into public health programs more effectively. Develop more precise predictive models for chronic diseases. Enable advancements in precision medicine tailored to individual exposures and genetics. Success depends on strong investments in capacity building to develop expertise and infrastructure. Synchronizing existing analytical, environmental, and public health systems. This integrated approach promises to address public health concerns with unprecedented cost-effectiveness. Improve health outcomes by targeting environmental risks comprehensively.

Conclusion

• The Indian environmental health community is encouraged to actively engage with and contribute to the global momentum surrounding exposomics science.
• Future World Environment Day celebrations may increasingly highlight the importance of the Human Exposome Project as a framework for holistic prevention strategies aimed at promoting health equity globally.

Aiming for an Era of ‘Biohappiness’ in India

Introduction

In Arunachal Pradesh, the diverse range of green vegetables found in daily meals reflects the region's rich agricultural heritage. However, there is a growing concern about the rapid decline of this agrobiodiversity, which is crucial for both local health and global sustainability.

Why is it in the News?

• The importance of using natural resources wisely, such as reintroducing traditional and forgotten foods, can enhance our health and overall well-being.
• During a recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, there was a pleasant surprise at the wide variety of green vegetables included in daily meals, all freshly picked from nearby forests and fields.
• Many rural and tribal areas in India still grow and consume a rich range of millets, beans, pulses, tubers, wild fruits, and green leafy vegetables, which are often unknown or forgotten in urban diets today.
• For example, the Nyishi and Apatani tribes in Arunachal Pradesh possess deep knowledge about the health benefits and medicinal uses of local plants.
• However, there is a concern that the rich variety of local crops in northeastern India is disappearing rapidly, mirroring a global trend of species extinction.
• Along with this decline, traditional knowledge about cooking and using these foods for health may also be fading away quickly.
• There is a real risk that both biodiversity and ancient wisdom may vanish if not preserved soon.

India’s Wealth of Biodiversity

• Despite occupying only 2% of the world’s land area, India is home to nearly 8% of global biodiversity.
• India is one of 17 megadiverse countries worldwide, boasting parts of 4 out of 36 global biodiversity hotspots.
• The country is also one of just 8 global centres of food-crop diversity, with natural services from its forests valued at over ₹130 trillion per year.
• Rural livelihoods in India heavily depend on these local ecosystems, which contribute significantly to the economy and sustainability.

Threats to Biodiversity and Development

• India is experiencing a gradual loss of natural resources, which impacts GDP and sustainable development.
• The potential of biodiversity to enhance human life remains largely untapped, posing risks to future well-being.

Global Food System Over-Reliance

• The global food system relies heavily on three primary crops: Rice, Wheat, and Maize, which provide over 50% of plant-based calories.
• This over-dependence leads to nutritional imbalances, increased vulnerability to climate-related shocks, and rising non-communicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS)

• Traditional, locally grown crops like small millets, buckwheat, amaranth, jackfruit, yams, and indigenous legumes have been long ignored in India.
• These crops are classified as Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS), despite their potential for improving nutrition and sustainability.

NUS: From “Orphan” to “Opportunity Crops”

Orphan Crops, Traditional Wisdom & Local Revival

Orphan Crops and Local Culture

• Orphan crops, now referred to as opportunity crops, are integral to local food traditions and cultural identity.
• These crops embody ecological wisdom, community knowledge, and traditional practices that have sustained local populations for generations.

Case Study: Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu

• Kolli Hills, located in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, is known for its traditional cultivation of millets suited to local conditions.
• However, over the past 30 years, many farmers in the region have shifted to cash crops such as cassava, coffee, and pepper, leading to a decline in crop diversity and agrobiodiversity.

MSSRF's Community-Based Intervention

• The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has been working in Kolli Hills for over 20 years to promote sustainable agriculture and revive traditional cropping practices.
• Their interventions include participatory research with farmers, empowering women and farmer groups, documenting traditional knowledge, improving soil health, and supporting local processing and value addition.
• These efforts have led to increased incomes, enhanced ecological sustainability, and the revival of traditional crops and practices.

National Missions, Millets, and the Future of Food

• India has adopted a national plan to promote millets as part of the International Year of Millets (UN) and Shree Anna Yojana.
• Key focus areas include boosting production, consumption, exports, and value chains for millets.
• There is a need to enhance awareness of the health benefits and nutritional value of millets through branding and campaigns.

State Millet Missions: Odisha Example

• Several Indian states have launched Millet Missions to promote millet farming and consumption.
• In Koraput district of Odisha, the Odisha Millet Mission supports millet farming from seed to plate, ensuring that millets are included in local diets and state schemes.
• While national attention has focused on major millets like ragi (finger millet), jowar (sorghum), and bajra (pearl millet), there is a need to include minor millets in state schemes and the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Why Orphan Crops Matter for the Future

The Evergreen Vision for Future Food Systems

• More than 50 years ago, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan envisioned an Evergreen Revolution that emphasized ecological balance and nutrition security over chemical inputs and high yields.
• Reviving forgotten foods is not just about nutrition; it’s about restoring cultural identity and using traditional knowledge to combat the climate crisis.
• This approach aims to ensure better food for people, the planet, and future generations, aligning with the vision of "Biohappiness" where ecological richness and human prosperity coexist.

Conclusion

A new wave of biodiversity science is emerging globally, and India is well-positioned to benefit, thanks to its strong human resources and scientific infrastructure. This evolving, interdisciplinary science holds the key to addressing some of India's most urgent challenges — from the sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture, food production, and nutrition, to tackling climate change, disaster risks, and promoting a bio-economy that supports livelihoods for 1.4 billion people. With the right focus, India has the potential to become a global leader in the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, improving both public health and human well-being. Perhaps, as envisioned by M.S. Swaminathan, we can now aspire to an era of "Biohappiness" — where ecological richness and human prosperity go hand in hand.