Children's Environmental Health
- Children's EH Home
- Background
- - Special Concerns
- - A Broader Look
- - Changes in Risks
- - Risks Around the World
- - Hazards
- - Emerging Issues
- - Future
- - References
- Toxic Free Kids Program
- Chemicals of Special Concern
- Initiatives
Related Topics
- School
Environmental Health - Healthy Homes
- Lead
- Safe Drinking Water for your Baby
- Birth Defects
- Children and Youth with Special Health Needs
- Newborn Screening
- Fish Consumption
- Healthy Kids Minnesota
Environmental Health Division
Contact Info
Children's Environmental Health
Changing Health Risks for Children Over the Last Century
In the last century, there have been many significant advances in public health that have increased the life expectancy of Americans.
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Advancements in sanitation, nutrition, vector control, and deliberate public health interventions such as vaccination and treatment of infectious diseases have changed the landscape of public health.13 As a result of these advances; people in the U.S. experienced great improvement in their health. Gains in life expectancy during the 20th century were greater than at any other time in history.14 In the 20th century, life expectancy in the U.S. increased by 27 years. The infant mortality rate decreased by 93 percent between 1915 and 1998.10
Reducing exposures to contaminants
There are simple steps you can take to reduce your child's exposure to environmental contaminants. For detailed information on reducing exposures to pesticides, volatile organic chemicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals, visit Reducing Exposures to Contaminants.