Pollution and Plunging Male Fertility :: Pollution Environment Environmental

Pollution and Plunging Male Fertility Several reliable studies have confirmed that fertility among men has decreased as a result of pollution. The average male ejaculation is about three milliliters. This amount of semen can contain between 20 million to 300 million sperm per milliliter semen. To determine the approximate number of sperm per milliliter of semen, technicians must place a drop of semen on a slide and, while looking through a microscope, they count the sperm within a certain sector. Men that have sperm counts below 20 million per milliliter are said to have reduced fertility and those whose counts fall below 5 million are considered sterile. In 1974, C. M. Kinloch-Nelson and Raymond G. Bunge at the University of Iowa, studied the semen quality of men who had fathered two or more children and were about to undergo vasectomies. Of the 386 fertile men studied, 7% of them had sperm concentrations above 100 million per millimeter and the average concentration was 48 million. When they compared their findings to similar studies done in the thirties, they found that sperm counts had been decreasing for 50 years. "They discovered that among healthy adult males who were not being treated for infertility, the average sperm count had declined by about 40 percent, from 120 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen to about 70 million" (Big Drop 36). In 1979, a professor at Florida State University, upon analyzing student semen samples discovered surprisingly low sperm counts and alarmingly high levels of toxic chemicals (including DDT and PLB's). "He suggested that environmental pollution might be causing the sperm decline" (Big Drop 36). The results of his findings triggered studies all over the world, showing counts in the range from 55 to 75 million and others showing numbers well above 100 million. Men exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals on the job were found to have semen containing pollutants. "Most scientists held to the view that changes in counting techniques were responsible for the reported dip" and . . . "after a few headlines, the sperm crisis became yesterday's news" (Big Drop 36). In 1996, Niels E. Skakkebk, a Danish pediatric endocrinologist, began studying male infertility and growth disorders among children . He had been noticing numerous boys with testicles that had not descended and malformed genitals. A study done in 1984 examining 2,000 Danish school boys showed that 7% of them had one or both testicles still inside their bodies.

Childhood Obesity Essay

Introduction Obesity is one of the important contributing factors to diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, depression and several forms of cancer [Williams, 2006]. Obesity is often established in adolescence, [Williams, 2006] examined the effect of child and adolescence high Body Mass Index (BMI) on the prospect of being overweight at 21 and reported that 40% of those who were overweight at 21 could be identified by age of 7, another 25% were identifiable by the time they were 15.   Genetic, familial, socioeconomic, psychological, behavioral and environmental factors have been identified as contributors to increasing prevalence of overweight in the population. Of these, genetics is the only factor, which for the time being is not possible to alter; a known genetic disposition towards overweight however provides more reason to try to control the factors that fall under human control. Parents have an important role in ensuring that their children adopt good eating and physical activity habits from the very beginning to prevent obesity in their children.   Parents have to provide the critical development phase support, beginning before birth and continuing through adolescence.   They are the key in ensuring that their children do not develop habits contributing to overweight and obesity. Family meals, balanced diet, support in getting adequate physical work and exercise and a watchful eye to ensure that their children do not acquire sedentary habits will result in reduced risk of overweight in children and adolescents. Unfortunately economic pressures, working parents, broken families and other social problems means that parents cannot exercise the kind of control required to ensure control of the problem through parental control and guidance.   Another problem is that children and adolescents spend most of their time away from home, in schools. The role school-based approaches can play in preventing and controlling obesity, therefore, acquires immense importance. Social scientists, physicians, schoolteachers, administrators, and parents have long recognized this role. The role schools have played in contributing to the overweight and obesity problem in school age children and adolescents has been the subject of considerable research. Many researchers have developed new school-based approaches and analyzed the effectiveness of the approaches for the prevention and control of obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) In estimating the overweight and obesity problem, we ideally need to measure the percentage body fat of the subject; however this is an impractical measure. A much more convenient measure of Body mass Index (BMI) is widely used for determining if the person meets the desirable body/mass ratio. The body mass index (BMI) is defined as: BMI= (weight/height2) Where weight is measured in kg and height is specified in meters. For adult population, the cut off point for overweight is taken as 25 kg/m2 while people with BMI of 30  kg/m2 or over are considered obese.   The body mass index among children and adolescents varies significantly with age. [Cole et al, 2000] report the result of their research based on international data consisting of 97,876 males and 94,851 females from birth to 25  years of age from 6 countries including United States. They used this statistical data to tabulate boundary values for children up to 18 years of age. International cut off points for body mass index for overweight and obesity by sex between 2  and 18  years [Cole, 2000] Age (years) Body mass index 25  kg/m2    Body mass index 30  kg/m2 Males Females Males Females    2 18.4 18.0    20.1 20.1 4 17.6 17.3    19.3 19.1 6 17.6 17.3    19.8 19.7 8 18.4 18.3    21.6 21.6 10 19.8 19.9    24.0 24.1 12 21.2 21.7    26.0 26.7 14 22.6 23.3    27.6 28.6 16 23.9 24.4    28.9 29.4 18 25 25    30 30 Subgroups at Increased Risk of Overweight [Sherwood et al, 2004] investigated the children at increased risk of obesity and reported that while childhood obesity is present across all demographic and social classes; however, African American girls were at a higher risk. The data analyses showed that African-American girls of age group 6-11 years of age were almost twice more likely to be overweight. In this age group 22.2% of African- American girls were over weight compared 11.6 % white Americans. Among the adolescents (11-19 years age group), 26.6% African-American girls were overweight while 12.4% white girls were considered overweight. [Sherwood et al, 2004] believe that African–American girls do not face the same kind of social pressure about their weight as their white counterparts. Black American girls face less negative attitudes about overweight and are therefore less likely to be concerned about watching their weight [Kumanyika et al, 1993]. Correct Age for Overweight Intervention in Schools A 5-year British schools-based research project carried out by [Wardle et al, 2006] highlighted the need to target obesity prevention measures to

Benjamin Franklin Essay - 1332 Words

Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street in Boston on January 17th, 1706. His father was Josiah Franklin, a candle and soap maker. His mother was Abiah Folger and she was Josiahs second wife. Benjamin Franklin was the youngest son of 17 children. Benjamin attended Boston Latin School for two years but did not graduate because of lack of money; however he continued his education by reading great quantities. His parents wanted him to go into the church, however at age 10 his schooling ended and he worked for his father until he was 12, when he became an apprentice printer for his brother James. When Benjamin was 15 his brother created the New England Courant which was the first independent newspaper in the colonies. Benjamin was not†¦show more content†¦Benjamin Franklin decided to create a subscription library and this idea gave birth to the Library Company, the charter for the Library Company was created in Philadelphia in 1731 by Franklin. In 1731 Franklin was initiated into the local Freemason lodge, he became a grand master in 1734, that same year he published the first Masonic book in the Americas and he remained a Freemason the rest of his life. In 1733 Franklin began to publish the Poor Richards Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders. Although most people knew that he was the one that wrote it the Richard Saunders character repeatedly denied this. Some of his famous quotes from this publishing were A penny saved is two pence dear which translated means a penny saved is a penny earned. Also the quote Fish and visitors stink in three days remains a common quotation in the modern world. Benjamin Franklin sold about 10,000 copies a year of his almanac. In 1764 Franklin was dispatched to England as an agent of the colony, he petitioned King George III to establish a British central control of Pennsylvania instead of having different proprietors. While he was there he also because the colonial agent for Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. In London he opposed the Stamp Act; he told the British that the stamp act would never work because Americans would never pay the taxes associated with the Stamp Act. He pointed that taxation without representation is a principle that AmericansShow MoreRelatedThe Benjamin Franklin1357 Words   |  5 PagesBenjamin Franklin In our American history many figures have left their mark, and are remembered still today. Benjamin Franklin was as famous as any president, but yet never elected to public office. He was one of the nation’s revolutionary founding fathers of all time. Benjamin Franklin was a respected hero of America of many talents and accomplishments. First of all, Benjamin Franklin was born at Boston in 1706. He was the tenth sibling in the family. He was the son of a soap and candle maker.Read MoreThe Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin1367 Words   |  6 PagesMatthew Matheny HIST 2020 A.P. Tammy Prater 23 November 2014 Benjamin Franklin The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a detailed account of the illustrious experiences of Benjamin Franklin. Though the cultural differences in writing has changed since the 18th century one can learn a lot about one of America’s greatest forefathers through this book. It accounts for Franklin’s life when he was born January 17th, 1706 till the year 1757. Unfortunately, he died in 1790 and was never able to finishRead MoreBenjamin Franklin Essay1518 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Susanna Dey 19 November 2011 Benjamin Franklin Say the name Benjamin Franklin and you may picture a chubby man with spectacles holding a kite during a lightening storm. 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Few national heroes, including George Washington and ThomasRead MoreThe Autobiography By Benjamin Franklin1952 Words   |  8 PagesThe Autobiography In the autobiographical essay aptly entitled â€Å"The Autobiography† (1791) Benjamin Franklin, a writer, renowned inventor, and American founding father confides that he had made attempts in his youth at emulating Perfection through the apprehension and application of 13 traits: Temperance,Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility. Enunciating his ideas by checking the aforementioned traits off theRead MoreThe Birth Of Benjamin Franklin1014 Words   |  5 PagesIn January of 1706 the future of America was changed forever with the birth of Benjamin Franklin. Born in Boston, Massachusetts Ben was the son of Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger, Ben was the youngest son of 17 children. Josiah was a soap maker and he wanted Benjamin to enter the clergy. 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His narrative is extremelyRead More Benjamin Franklin Essay1215 Words   |  5 Pages If ever a story embodied what has come to be known as the American Dream, it is the life story of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin could be considered a passionate and energetic man who motivated himself by self-determination and a strong work ethic to achieve self-improvement. Beyond his sometimes-lofty personal aspira tions to attain self-improvement, Franklin’s deep conviction inspired him to help others live well. He demonstrated this conviction in his reasons for