UJ SEEN PERIL FROM LED, MERCURY, ET CETERA, POSES A SIGNIFICANT DANGER AND CHILDREN BEING PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE.

TONIGHT WE EXPLORE EVERYDAY EXPOSURES AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND DIVE INTO A GROUNDBREAKING LINK OF ARSENIC AND EARLY SIGNS OF HEART ISSUES IN KIDS.

>>HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT'S TOPIC: CHILDREN'S EXPOSURE TO TOXICANTS.

THE UNSEEN PERILS OF TOXICANTS LIKE LEAD, ARSENIC, MERCURY, AND OTHERS POSE A SIGNIFICANT DANGER, WITH CHILDREN BEING PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE.

TONIGHT WE EXPLORE THE EVERYDAY EXPOSURES AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY'S YOUNG ONES AND DIVE INTO A GROUNDBREAKING STUDY REVEALING THE LINKS BETWEEN ARSENIC EXPOSURE AND EARLY SIGNS OF HEART ISSUES IN CHILDREN.

OUR ESTEEMED PANEL FEATURES THE LEAD RESEARCHER BEHIND THIS GROUNDBREAKING STUDY ALONGSIDE LOCAL MEDICAL EXPERTS> LET'S MEET OUR GUESTS: DR. BROOKS GUMP, FALK FAMILY ENDOWED PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FALK COLLEGE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY DR. AUGUSTA WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT DR. TRAVIS HOBART, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS & CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AT SUNY UPSTATE AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S CNY HEALTH CENTER.

DR. AUGUSTA WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AT SUNY UPSTATE ASHED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THAT SAME ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CENTER AS Dr. HOBART.

WELL, OUR "CYCLE OF HEALTH" TEAM VISITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS STUDY AND THE RESEARCH PROCESS.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> SO ARSENIC IS A METAL AND IT HAS AN ORGANIC AND INCORRIGANNIC FORM.

WE WERE FOCUSED ON THE INORGANIC WHICH IS PRESUMED TO BE THE MOST DANGEROUS FOR HUMAN HEALTH.

THE INORGANIC FORMS OF ARSENIC CAN COME FROM POLLUTION, GLASS WORKS, DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS THAT WOULD INCLUDE BOTH LEAD AND ARSENIC.

THOSE ARE, OVER THE YEARS, HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

>> SO WE STUDIED SEVERAL EXPOSURE ROOTS.

AIR POLLUTION WAS A SIGNIFICANT ONE.

DIET, WATER SOURCE, PARENTAL SMOKING, AND AIR POLLUTION SOMETIMES WE THINK IMMEDIATELY LIKE INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION BUT AIR POLLUTION CAN COME FROM ANYTHING AND ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MORE CLOSELY IS POTENTIALLY SOIL EXPOSURE BUT ACTUALLY SOIL BECOMING DUST IN THE SUM BECOMING AEROSOLIZED.

>> WE KNOW TOXICANT LEVELS ARE HIGHER IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN THAN WHITE AMERICANS AND THEY HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF HEART DISEASE.

THEY GO TOGETHER.

THE HYPOTHESIS IS THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS GET EXPOSED TO THE TOXICANTS AND DEVELOP HEART DISEASE LATER IN LIFE.

WE WERE TAKING CHILDREN, WAS OUR IDEA AND LOOK AT SUBCLINICALS, GET IT BEFORE IT TURNS INTO DISEASE AND SAY OKAY, IF THESE CHILDREN ARE GETTING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF TOXICANT EXPOSURE, DOES THAT LEAD THEM TO HAVE DIFFERENT SUBCLINICAL DISEASE LEVELS?

AND THEN OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE RECRUITED 300 CHILDREN.

SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR AREAS IN SYRACUSE.

WE TARGETED SPECIFIC AREAS IN SYRACUSE THAT HAD ROUGHLY EQUAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND ANGELO AMERICANS AND LIVING IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT EVEN THOUGH THEIR RACE WAS DIFFERENT AND WE TARGETED WITH THREE ZIP CODES WITH LOWER SEZ, HIGHER RATES OF POVERTY.

CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY OF EQUAL PROPORTION OF WHITES AND BLACKS.

>> WHEN A CHILD COMES TO THIS LAB, WE HAVE THEM LAY DOWN ON THE TABLE AND ANDREW OR ANOTHER TECHNICIAN WILL PUT AN ULTRASOUND WHICH IS A NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT DEVICE.

SENDS SOUND WAVES INTO THE BODY AND RETURNS AND LOOKS AT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE TEST IN THE LABS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MEASURES.

THIS IS THE PRIMARY MEASURE WE LOOKED AND SAW ARSENIC EXPOSURE.

THIS IS THE BLOOD FLOW IN THE DARK AREA AND VIRGINIAS LAR WALLS ON EACH SIDE.

THAT'S THE BLOOD FLOW AND THEN THIS THICKNESS IS A LITTLE WHITE STRIP, THE DARKNESS IS THE MEDIA AND THE INTA MEDIA THICKNESS IS WHAT PREDICTS FUTURE HEART DISEASE.

SO OVER 20, 30 YEARS, THAT'S GOING TO KEEP GETTING THICKER AND THICKER AND EVENTUALLY, IN 50s AND 60s, YOU WILL START TO SEE OCCLUSION OF THE CAROTID ARTERY.

>> IT IS A STEPPING STONE TOWARD IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE CONDITIONS PEOPLE LIVE IN AND MAKING CONNECTIONS TO A PERSON'S ENTIRE UNDERSTANDING OF POKES USE YOU ARE.

WE WANT TO MOVE-- EXPOSURE AND WE WANT TO MOVE THE NEEDLE CLOSER TO WHERE A PERSON KNOWS IF THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED OR MAYBE WE CAN GET CLINICIANS AND DOCTORS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ASSOCIATIONS THEMSELVES SO IF THEY SEE A PATIENT EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF SOME SORT OF EXPOSURE, AND THEN THEY LOOK AT WHERE IS THAT PERSON LIVE, WHAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT DO THEY COME FROM, MAYBE THEY CAN MAKE THE LINKAGES THEMSELVES BASED ON THESE KINDS OF STUDIES THAT PROVIDE THAT FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF DIRECTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RESEARCH GO.

>> SO, Dr. GUMP, WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE MESSAGE FROM YOUR STUDDIE?

>> WELL, WE STARTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO LOOKING AT OTHER TOX TANTS, SPECIFICALLY LEAD TOXICANTS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, EFFECTS ON SUBCLINICAL OR PRECURSORS TO CLINICAL DISEASE LATER.

>> SUBCLINICAL MEANS THEY'RE NOT SICK NOW BUT THEY MIGHT-- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT APPEAR LATER ON.

MIGHT PREDISPOSE THEM?

>> BASICALLY WITH HEART DISEASE, IT STARTS EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT AUTOPSIES OF TODDLERS, YOU CAN START TO SEE UNDERLYING DISEASE PROCESS.

SO IT'S VERY EARLY, BEGINS VERY EARLY AND THEN 40, 50 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, OF CHRONIC, POTENTIALLY CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO RISK FACTORS LIKE THESE TOXICANTS MAY LEAD TO DISEASE LATER DOWN THE LINE.

BUT OF COURSE IF CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO SOME OF THESE TOXICANTS AT A YOUNG AGE AND EITHER MOVE OR CHANGE DIETS OR BEHAVIORS, THEY MAY NOT HAVE ANYMORE EXPOSURE AND PRESUMABLY THEY WOULDN'T THEN BE AT THAT RISK.

>> SO THESE CHILDREN THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR STUDY, THEY'RE NOT DOOMED TO DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED NOW.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT A DISEASE THAT HAS A TRAJECTORY AND SAYING ARE THEY ON THAT TRAJECTORY AT THIS POINT IN TIME TOWARD LEVELING DISEASE.

BUT THEY CAN-- LOTS OF THINGS CAN CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY AND HOPEFULLY DO.

>> SO THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO MINIMIZE THE RISK.

>> CORRECT.

>> AND YOU GUYS, I NOTICE, YOU USE THESE TWO TERMS, TOXINS AND TOXICANTS.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD THE TERM TOXICANTS BEFORE.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

TOXINS ARE TYPICALLY THINGS NEURALLY OCCURRING IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

ARSENIC CAN COMES FROM THINGS LIKE THE SOIL.

NATURALLY OCCURRING IN THE SOIL.

AND TOXICANTS REFER TO COMPOUNDS THAT ARE MANMADE.

SO WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION, THAT'S SOMETHING WE AS HUMANS ARE KIND OF CONTRIBUTING INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.

BUT OFTEN YOU MIGHT HEAR THE TERMS USED IN INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT POLLUTANTS CAN BE NATURALLY OCCURRING BUT CAN ALSO BE MADE AND CONTRIBUTED TO BY HUMANS.

>> WHAT'S THE LIST?

WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT YOU REFER TO AS TOXICANTS?

>> IN OUR STUDY, THIS PARTICULAR STUDY, WE STARTED WITH METALS.

SO WE STARTED WITH LEAD CADMIUM AND MERCURY.

THEY HAVE THE MOST ATTENTION, AND THEN THROUGH NIH FUNDING WE GOT FUNDS TO LOOK AT THEIR URINE THAT WE COLLECTED IN ANTICIPATION OF FUNDING AND LOOKED AT 10 METALS IN URINE.

WE ALSO THEN LOOKED AT PFAS, WHICH IS ARE FOREVER CHEMICALS.

>> YOU ARE READING A LOT IN THE NEWS.

>> WE GOT SOME MEASURES OF THOSE AND LOOKED AT THAT AS WELL AS WELL AS FIRE RETARDANTS AND METAL THAT WE LOOKED AT IN URINE.

AND WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY LOOKED AT PESTICIDES SO WE, LOOKING AT ALL THESE DIFFERENT TOXICANTS, THEY ALL CORRELATE AND INTERCORRELATE.

THEY CAN ALL HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS.

SO WE HAVE TO CONTROL FOR SOME TO SEE WHAT IS THIS EFFECT AND WHAT IS FOR THIS METAL OR THIS TOXICANT.

WHEN IS IT RELEVANT FOR THIS TOXICANT.

>> WHEN YOU SAY CONTROL, YOU ARE TAKING OUT THE EFFECTS OF THESE OTHER THINGS AND FINDING THAT ARSENIC, INDEPENDENT OF ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, PREDICTED THAT CHANGE IN THEIR CAROTID ARTERY.

>> EXACTLY.

WE HAD TO CONTROL FOR THINGS LIKE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUES-- STATUS.

THAT IS A VARIABLE THAT CAN CAUSE A VARIABLE IN HEART DISEASE AND HIGH RATES OF ARSENIC.

WE CONTROL FOR THAT.

IT'S NOT A FUNCTION OF OF THAT, RACE, AGE, YOU KNOW, OTHER VARIABLES LIKE THAT.

>> THAT'S SCIENCE: WHEN YOU PUT THESE THINGS TOGETHER, ARSENIC AND OTHER THINGS, WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS ON KIDS HEALTH, Dr. HOBART.

>> SO ARSENIC, IN PARTICULAR IS A CARCINOGEN.

SO IT, IN ADDITION TO THE HEART EFFECTS THAT Dr. GUMP IS MENTIONING, IT CAN INCREASE THE RICK OF HEART DISEASE AND CERTAIN CANCERS, PARTICULARLY I THINK LUNG CANCER, SKIN SCWER AND BLADDER CANCER.

AND HAS OTHER EFFECTS ON THE BODY, TOO.

WHETHER IT AFFECTS OUR HORMONES LIKE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING.

YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THAT TERM.

OTHER METALS MENTIONED, MERCURY IS A NEUROLOGIC POISON THAT AFFECTS OUR BRAIN.

PARTICULARLY BAD IF SOMEONE IS EXPOSED INUIT-- IN UTD ROW AND THEY CAN END UP BLIND AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS.

AND LEAD IS SOMETHING THAT,YOU KNOW,WE FOCUS A LOT ON AND THAT IS A NEUROLOGICAL TOXICANT THAT CAUSES ATTENTION AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN KIDS DOWN THE LINE, IT GIVES THEM DIFFICULTY WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING MAKING GOOD DECISIONS IN THEIR DAY.

>> IN THE PAPER THE OTHER DAY, A MOM WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HER FAMILY TALKS ABOUT HER, ONE OF HER KIDS AS BEING ANGRY ALL THE TIME.

AND SHE HAS AN ELEVATED LEAD LEVEL IN HERESIES TEM.

THAT WOULD BE-- IN HER SYSTEM.

THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE BEHAVIORAL MANIFESTATIONS OF EXCESSIVE LEAD EXPOSE GLUR IT COULD BE.

AND EXTENDING THAT FURTHER, PEOPLE HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK TO A YOUNG CHILD EXPOSED TO LEAD AS A YOUNG CHILD MIGHT HAVE HIGHER CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS A TEENAGER BECAUSE THEIR BEHAVIORS, THEIR DECISION MAKING CAPACITIES HAVE BEEN LIMITED DUE TO THE LEAD EXPOSURE.

>> WHAT PERCENTAGE OF KIDS HAVE AN EXCESSIVE LEAD EXPOSURE IN SYRACUSE?

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONE KID OUT OF 500 OR... >> UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ALL TOO HIGH.

IN THE SKI OF SYRACUSE, IT'S WILL 11% OF CHILDREN EXPOSED TO LEAD AND MOST OF THE EXPOSURE IS THROUGH THE PAINT IN THEIR HOME.

IT'S REALLY OLD PAINT THAT HAS DETERIORATED OVER TIME AND UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENS BECAUSE THE LANDLORD ISN'T DOING THEIR JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THE PAINT IS KEPT UP WELL.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS PARENTS CAN DO TO LIMIT EXPOSURE TO THESE TOXICANTS?

YOU ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSON.

>> THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS PARENTS CAN DO AND ONE IS RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL SOURCES OF EXECS POSE YOUR THAT PARENTS MIGHT HAVE THAT THEY CAN BRING HOME TO THEIR CHILDREN.

IF SOMEONE IS WORKING IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE THEY MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO LEAD OR MERCURY AT THEIR JOB, MAKING SURE THAT WORK CLOTHES ARE CLEAN WHEN THEY GET HOME, CHECKING THE PAINT IN THE HOME TO MAKE SURE THAT, IF THAT'S BEING, YOU KNOW, FALLING INTO A STATE OF DISREPAIR, THAT THAT CAN BE IMPROVED UPON, BUT ALSO AS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THINGS LIKE INDUSTRIAL EXPOSURES AND NATURALLY OCCURRING SOURCES, RECOGNIZING AT A BROADER LEVEL, CITIES, COUNTIES, PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF DECISION MAKING POWER, RECOGNIZING WHERE THESE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS AND EXPOSURES MAY BE OCCURRING AND MAKING SURE WE APPROACHING THESE IN AN EQUITABLE WAY AS WE ARE LOOKING TO MITIGATE THESE SOURCES OF EXPOSURE.

>> YOU SAY EQUITABLE.

SO I'M HEARING THESE EXPOSURES AFFECT KIDS IN A DISPROPORTIONATE WAY IN DIFFERENT PATIENTS PERHAPS IN.

>> DEFINITELY.

IT'S UNFORTUNATELY ALL TOO COMMON OF A TREND WE SEE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES DUE TO SOME OF THE VARIABLES THAT Dr. GUMP MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE LIMITED ECONOMIC MEANS, THAT THEN LIMITS WHERE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO LIVE AND OFTEN IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE SEE THAT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION AND LEAD PAINT AND TOXIC CHEMICALS.

>> OLDER HOMES.

>> THAT THEN CREATE THIS RIPPLE EFFECT OF CONTINUED EXPOSURES IN THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN THESE AREAS.

>> I KNOW YOU ARE A SPECIALIST IN THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH IS VERY BIG THESE DAYS.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

HOW DOES THAT PLAY A ROLE IN THIS EXPOSURE TO TOXINS AND TOXICANTS?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

BUT, YES, UNFORTUNATELY CLIMATE CHANGE, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE BAD NEWS WE HEAR ABOUT THAT REGULARLY, CAN ALSO INFLUENCE THIS CONVERSATION WE ARE HAVING ABOUT TOXINS AND TOXICANTS.

THERE HAVE BEEN STORIES THIS SUMMER THAT DUE TO EXTREME HEAT, THERE ARE FACILITIES WHO MANAGE AND STORE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THAT WE USE TO PRODUCE ALL TYPES OF THINGS WE USE IN SOCIETY EVERY DAY, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLASTICS AND RUBBERS, THAT THEY'RE KEPT VERY PRESSURIZED AND AS IT GETS HOTTER AND HOTTER AND WE HAVE MORE HOT DAYS, THOSE OFTEN HAVE TO BE VENTED INTO THE COMMUNITY TO AVOID THEM OVERHEATING UNDER PRESSURE BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE STORMS AND FLOODING CAN JUST CAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE?

A WAY-- DAMAGE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS WHETHER THEY'RE NATURALLY OCCURRING OR MAN MANMADE, TO BE JUST RELEASED MORE FREQUENTLY OR MORE WIDESPREAD TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE FOUND IN.

>> WHAT ABOUT FOODS?

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE THESE, SOME OF THESE THINGS COME IN THROUGH THE AIR, SOME OF THEM COME THROUGH THE WATER.

WHAT ABOUT FOODS?

>> YEAH, SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME PRESS LATELY IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT DIFFERENT FOODS THAT MIGHT CONTAIN SOME OF THESE METALS.

ARSENIC IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THE SOURCES OF ARSENIC COULD BE YOUR WATER SOURCE BECAUSE IT IS IN THE GROUND.

A LOT OF TIMES IF THE WELL IS DUG IN A WELL WHERE ARSENIC HAPPENS TO BE IN THE GROUND, OVER TIME THEY MAY BE GETTING ARSENIC IN THEIR WATER.

>> DO WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT IN SYRACUSE?

>> AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, NOT IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY BUT IN THE NORTHEAST IN GENERAL THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT IS AND IT'S A LITTLE IRREGULAR WHERE IT IS BECAUSE THE ARSENIC COMES IN LIKE A VEIN OF ARSENIC.

IT COULD BE IN ONE COUNTY AND NOT IN ANOTHER COUNTY.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED AND DRINKING FROM A WELL, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TALK TO THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE-- BUT I DON'T THINK IN SYRACUSE IN GENERAL WE HAVE THAT CONCERN.

AND ANYONE DRIING THE SYRACUSE CITY WATER WE KNOW COMES FROM SKANEATELES LAKE WHICH IS TESTED EVERY YEAR AND HAS ALWAYS SHOWN NO ARSENIC IN IT.

I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY IN TERMS OF ARSENIC.

THE OTHER SOURCES OF ARSENIC IN FOOD ARE SOME RICE PRODUCTS BECAUSE IT'S GROWN IN A LOT OF WATER.

SOMETIMES THE RICE ABSORBS ARSENIC THERE.

AND THEN ALSO CERTAIN OTHER CROPS HAVE HISTORICALLY PEOPLE HAVE USED ARSENIC PESTICIDES ON THEIR CROPS SO IN THE U.S., THAT'S NOW ILLEGAL, BUT IN OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, IT'S NOT SO SOMETIMES PROCESSED THINGS LIKE-- THERE WAS A STORY MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO ABOUT APPLE JUICE.

>> APPLE JUICE?

>> YEAH, BECAUSE SOME OF THE APPLES HAD ARSENIC PESTICIDES.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE SOURCE THERE.

SO THE FDA HAS RECENTLY SORT OF GONE TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS AND MADE SURE AND LOWERED THE ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF ARSENIC IN APPLE JUICE AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT CAME UP LAST YEAR WAS BABY FOODS AND AGAIN THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE ARSENIC IN THE SOIL LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS USE OF PESTICIDES OR SOIL FROM THE GROUND SOURCES, THAT MAY SHOW NEWSPAPER BABY FOODS IN PARTICULAR AGAIN, RICE CEREAL THAT WE FEED TO INFANTS A LOT OF TIMES AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, SWEET POTATOES OR OTHER THINGS THAT MAYBE HAVE HAD ARSENIC IN THEM.

>> I KNOW WE WERE TALKING EARLIER IN IN UTERO EXPOSURE AND YOU WERE SAYING THAT THERE IS A RISK THERE AS WELL.

>> DEVELOPING BABIES CAN BE EXPOSED TO THE COMPOUNDS IN UTERO, THROUGH THE MOTHER AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF THE RISK THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE TO THE CHILD.

SOME OF THOSE EFFECTS Dr. HOBART WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT SOME OF THOSE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, LASTING INFLUENCES ON THE MOTHER'S HEALTH AS WELL.

>> SO BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE DEVELOPING BABY.

>> RIGHT.

KIND OF THINKING, COMPREHENSIVELY ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ITS IMPACTS ON MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH IS REALLY CRITICAL.

>> AND Dr. HOBART, I THINK YOU MIGHT GET-- Dr. GUMP, YOU MIGHT GET THE LAST WORD HERE.

YOUR RESEARCH IS ACTUALLY PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH.

>> YES.

>> SO TELL BUS THAT.

HOW-- TELL US ABOUT THAT.

HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH IMPACT PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY?

>> WE DON'T FOCUS ON THE KIND OF POISONING OR INDUSTRIAL EXPOSURES.

WOE LOOK AT NORMAL EXPOSURE FOR CHILDREN.

IN SYRACUSE WE HAVE NONE OF THE CHILDREN WERE ELEVATED IN THE SENSE THAT WHAT TRAVIS IS TALKING ABOUT.

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO REFER THEM OR ANYTHING.

SO THESE ARE ALL THE QUOTE NORMAL LEVELS.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS HOPEFULLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE ESTABLISH THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOWER THRESHOLD FOR WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

WITH LEAD WE USED TO HAVE 10 MICROGRAMS AND BASED ON OUR RESEARCH THEY LOWERED IT TO 5 AND NOW THE CDC HAS LOWERED IT TO 3.5.

ARSENIC DOESN'T HAVE A THRESHOLD.

SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THRESHOLDS, IF YOU LOWER THEM HIVE AND THIS IS A GOOD THING, YOU HAVE TO THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

IF YOU ARE SAYING THAT 20 OR 30% OF YOUR POPULATION OF CHILDREN HAS ELEVATED LEVELS OF WHATEVER, YOU BETTER START PULLING THOSE DOWN THROUGH LEGISLATION AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS TO BRING THOSE DOWN.

NOT NECESSARILY IDENTIFYING A LEAD-BASED PAINT BUT INDUSTRIAL USES HISTORICALLY AND MOVEMENT WITH THAT LIKE WITH THE I-81 CONSTRUCTION, IT WILL START TO MOVE SOIL AROUND AND EVENTS LIKE THAT CAN CHANGE THE SITUATION AT GROUND AND THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, I THINK, FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT.

>> AND MAYBE DRIER SUMMERS, MORE DUST IN THE AIR WITH MORE OF THESE CONTAMINANTED IN THE AIR OR KIDS PLAYING LIKE WE SAW IN THE VIDEO, KIDS PLAYING IN THE DIRT.

>> AND IT CAN BE VERY SPECIFIC TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO SYRACUSE DOES HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF LEAD AND ARSENIC THAN THE SOUTH SIDE, AND THE SOUTHEAST AREA FROM ONONDAGA LAKE AND THAT WAS A DOWNSTREAM, DOWNWIND FROM INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS.

AND THAT ARSENIC, THEY WERE JUST SPRAY THAT ON THE APPLE ORCHARDS SO HISTORICALLY IT HAS ALL BEEN-- AND NOW IT'S ALL JUST SITTING THERE AND... >> WELL, THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS.

DR. BROOKS GUMP, FALK FAMILY ENDOWED PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FALK COLLEGE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY DR. TRAVIS HOBART, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS & CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AT SUNY UPSTATE DR. AUGUSTA WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AT SUNY UPSTATE NOW, LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF HUMOR.

IT'S BEEN PROVEN THAT LAUGHTER COMES WITH A HOST OF HEALTH BENEFITS, SO IT'S A HEALTHY PAUSE IN OUR ROUTINE.

>> RICH: PROFESSOR GUMP, WHY DON'T SCIENTISTS TRUST ATOMS?

>> PROF. GUMP: I DON'T KNOW RICH, WHY?

>> RICH: BECAUSE THEY MAKE UP EVERYTHING!

>> RICH: AUGUSTA, WHERE DO SICK BOATS GO TO GET HEALTHY?

>> I DON'T THINK I COULD TELL YOU.

>> TO THE DOCK.

AND Dr. HOBART, WHY SHOULD YOU NEVER UPSET A PEDIATRICIAN?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY SHOULD YOU NEVER UPSET A PEDIATRICIAN?

>> BECAUSE THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE PATIENTS.

[LAUGHTER] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A JOKE FOR OUR SEGMENT "LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE" SEGMENT OR TO SEE MORE OF OUR PROGRAM, VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH.

TO HEAR OUR NEW COMPANION COMMUNITY FM RADIO SHOW, CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP, VISIT WCNY.ORG/COMMUNITYFM FOR 'CYCLE OF HEALTH,' I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

AND HERE'S THIS WEEK'S MINI CHECKUP FROM THE NECKUP, THANKS FOR CHECKING IN!

>> HI, I'M PSYCHOLOGIST Dr. RICH O'NEILL WITH THIS WEEK'S CHECKUP FROM THE NECK UP.

QUIT BEING YOUR OWN SHRINK OR GET A WIGGLE ON IT.

WELL, FOLKS, OUR BRAIN SHRINKS A BIT AS WE AGE, BUT SOME RESEARCHERS WERE CURIOUS IF HOW WE LIVE SHRINKS IT MORE.

THEY EXAMINED OVER 1300 MIDDLE AGERS WULT DEMENTIA FOR PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT DAMAGE THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING SMOKING, OVERWEIGHT, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AND DIABETES.

SEVEN YEARS LATER, GAVE THEM ALL MRIS TO CHECK OUT TOTAL BRAIN VOLUME AND VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BRAIN.

AND THEN COGNITIVE TESTS TO SEE HOW THEIR NOODLES WERE NOODLING.

HOW DID IT TURN OUT?

YOU BETCHA.

ALL FOUR LINKED TO MORE BRAIN SLINKAGE SLEEJ SHRINAGE, SIGNS OF BRAIN INJURY AND LOSS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AND MEMORY.

THE CONNECTION?

WELL, THOSE LIFESTYLE FACTORS HURT THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT DAMAGES THE BRAIN, TOO.

SO MORE REASONS TO QUIT SMOKING, LOSE A FEW, EVEN FIVE TO 10 CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND BLOOD SUGAR UNDER CONTROL.

GOOD NEWS, GOBS OF OTHER RESEARCH SHOWS MODERATE EXERCISE, JUST BRISK WALKING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, CAN HELP WITH BLOOD PRESSURE, WEIGHT CONTROL, DIABETES AND BRAIN FUNCTIONING.

SO, AS MY MOM USED TO SAY, RITCHIE, GET A WIGGLE ON IT.

AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES, IF YOU ARE STILL SMOKING, QUIT, WILL YOU!

AND LEAVE THE SHRINKING TO ME.

I'M Dr.

NECK UP RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

>> NEXT WEEK ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH."

>> TONIGHT'S TOPIC, TEEN MENTAL HEALTH.

OUR TEENS ARE NAVIGATING A COMPLEX FAST-PACED WORLD FILLED WITH PRESSURES AND EXPECTATIONS THAT CAN SOMETIMES FEEL OVERWHELMING.

TONIGHT, WE ARE JOINED BY TWO EXPERTS WHO WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING, EQUIP US WITH TOOLS TO SUPPORT TEENS AND PROMOTE MENTAL WELL-BEING IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.