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Helsinki alert of biodiversity and health

von Hertzen, Leena ; Beutler, Bruce ; Bienenstock, John ; Blaser, Martin ; Cani, Patrice D. ; Eriksson, Johan ; Farkkila, Martti ; Haahtela, Tari ; Hanski, Ilkka and Jenmalm, Maria C. , et al. (2015) In Annals of Medicine 47(3). p.218-225
Abstract
Urban living in built environments, combined with the use of processed water and food, may not provide the microbial stimulation necessary for a balanced development of immune function. Many chronic inflammatory disorders, including allergic, autoimmune, metabolic, and even some behavioural disorders, are linked to alteration in the human commensal microbiota. Sedentary lifestyle is associated with reduced exposure to a broad spectrum of environmental micro-organisms and surplus energy balance, both risk factors of chronic inflammatory disorders. According to the Biodiversity Hypothesis, an environment with diverse macrobiota and microbiota modifies and enriches the human microbiota, which in turn is crucial in the development and... (More)
Urban living in built environments, combined with the use of processed water and food, may not provide the microbial stimulation necessary for a balanced development of immune function. Many chronic inflammatory disorders, including allergic, autoimmune, metabolic, and even some behavioural disorders, are linked to alteration in the human commensal microbiota. Sedentary lifestyle is associated with reduced exposure to a broad spectrum of environmental micro-organisms and surplus energy balance, both risk factors of chronic inflammatory disorders. According to the Biodiversity Hypothesis, an environment with diverse macrobiota and microbiota modifies and enriches the human microbiota, which in turn is crucial in the development and maintenance of appropriate immune function. These issues were discussed in the symposium 'Chronic Inflammation, Lifestyle and Environment ', held in Helsinki, 20 - 22 August 2014, under the sponsorship of the Yrjo Jahnsson Foundation. This paper briefly outlines the recent findings in the context of the environment, lifestyle, and health; discusses the forces that undermine immune tolerance in urban environments; and highlights the possibilities to restore broken immune tolerance among urban dwellers, summarizing the main messages in four statements and calling for actions to combat major public health threats. (Less)
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@article{ee70762c-b8db-4122-bdc9-403c306471db,
  abstract     = {{Urban living in built environments, combined with the use of processed water and food, may not provide the microbial stimulation necessary for a balanced development of immune function. Many chronic inflammatory disorders, including allergic, autoimmune, metabolic, and even some behavioural disorders, are linked to alteration in the human commensal microbiota. Sedentary lifestyle is associated with reduced exposure to a broad spectrum of environmental micro-organisms and surplus energy balance, both risk factors of chronic inflammatory disorders. According to the Biodiversity Hypothesis, an environment with diverse macrobiota and microbiota modifies and enriches the human microbiota, which in turn is crucial in the development and maintenance of appropriate immune function. These issues were discussed in the symposium 'Chronic Inflammation, Lifestyle and Environment ', held in Helsinki, 20 - 22 August 2014, under the sponsorship of the Yrjo Jahnsson Foundation. This paper briefly outlines the recent findings in the context of the environment, lifestyle, and health; discusses the forces that undermine immune tolerance in urban environments; and highlights the possibilities to restore broken immune tolerance among urban dwellers, summarizing the main messages in four statements and calling for actions to combat major public health threats.}},
  author       = {{von Hertzen, Leena and Beutler, Bruce and Bienenstock, John and Blaser, Martin and Cani, Patrice D. and Eriksson, Johan and Farkkila, Martti and Haahtela, Tari and Hanski, Ilkka and Jenmalm, Maria C. and Kere, Juha and Knip, Mikael and Kontula, Kimmo and Koskenvuo, Markku and Ling, Charlotte and Mandrup-Poulsen, Thomas and von Mutius, Erika and Makela, Mika J. and Paunio, Tiina and Pershagen, Goran and Renz, Harald and Rook, Graham and Saarela, Maria and Vaarala, Outi and Veldhoen, Marc and de Vos, Willem M.}},
  issn         = {{1365-2060}},
  keywords     = {{Biodiversity; chronic inflammatory disease; microbiota; sedentary; lifestyle; Western diet}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{218--225}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Annals of Medicine}},
  title        = {{Helsinki alert of biodiversity and health}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/07853890.2015.1010226}},
  doi          = {{10.3109/07853890.2015.1010226}},
  volume       = {{47}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}