The physical quality of population refers to the average physical health level of population groups. The human body is a complete unity composed of various systems, and constantly exchanges materials, energy and information with the surrounding environment through metabolism. On the one hand, the physical quality of the population depends on genetic factors, on the other hand, it depends on environmental factors (figure "A good living environment makes people live longer"). Even genetic factors are influenced by the environment for a long time.
There are many environmental factors that affect the physical quality of the population. First of all, the social and economic environment in which human beings create and live, including social system, economic form, cultural tradition, scientific and technological knowledge and ethics, is the main factor affecting the physical quality of the population. Especially with the development of human society, the physical quality of the population is increasingly dependent on social and environmental factors.
Secondly, the physical quality of the population is also restricted by natural environmental factors. In the early days of mankind, the natural environment was once a decisive factor affecting the quality of the population. The following two aspects, primary environment and secondary environment, focus on the influence of natural environmental factors on the physical quality of the population.
(1) The main environmental factors mainly refer to natural environmental factors such as topography, temperature, humidity and precipitation. These environmental factors have a lot to do with people's health. In some areas, the soil lacks some elements needed by human body, or has too many elements, which may cause endemic diseases. For example, selenium is an essential element for life. Studies have confirmed that selenium deficiency in the environment is closely related to Keshan disease and Kaschin-Beck disease. However, excessive selenium in the environment may cause endemic selenium poisoning, which is manifested as hair loss, nail loss and some nervous system diseases. Environmental iodine is abnormal, and local people are prone to endemic goiter; In some areas, natural radiation is high, which easily leads to the birth of more deformed fetuses.
(2) Secondary environmental factors mainly refer to environmental factors influenced by human beings. In fact, human beings have developed to this day, and it can be said that there is almost no environment on the earth that is not affected by human beings. We are here to discuss the influence of environmental pollution on the physical quality of the population from three aspects: physics, chemistry and biology.
With the development of modern transportation and communication, noise and microwave radiation pollution have intensified. In particular, urban noise pollution, which is dominated by traffic and industrial noise, has developed to a very serious degree. Noise not only harms people's hearing, but also affects people's nervous system, cardiovascular system and digestive system.
People are worried about chemical additives in food production, which is reasonable. Relevant studies have confirmed that pollutants and inclusions in some foods have teratogenic and carcinogenic effects on human body, such as aflatoxin in some foods, which is one of the most carcinogenic substances known at present; Nitroso compounds, preservatives and antioxidants contained in food also have teratogenic and carcinogenic effects. The smoke produced by tobacco burning contains thousands of chemicals, most of which are harmful to human body and have many pathogenic and carcinogenic effects (figure "Smoking is harmful to others and their own health").
Due to the garbage, sewage and feces produced in life, as well as the garbage and waste from biological products factories, food factories and hospitals (figure "untreated garbage"), germs, viruses and parasite eggs can pollute water and soil and spread some infectious diseases through diet. This kind of pollution often works under certain climatic conditions, which is harmful to human health. For example, after the high temperature rainy season, biological pollutants make mosquitoes multiply, which is easy to cause diseases such as malaria and Japanese encephalitis.
Influence of scientific and cultural quality of population on environment
The environment and population quality of a region are not the most important, but the population quality often plays a more important role. In particular, the scientific and cultural quality of the population (the average educational level of the population and the degree to which the population has mastered and applied scientific and technological knowledge) has a special impact on the environment.
The scientific and cultural quality of the population in a region affects people's views on resources, environment and development as a whole (Figure "Population Quality and Environment (1) and (2)"). The population with higher scientific and cultural quality has a correct awareness of ecological environment, and can attach importance to environmental protection while developing the economy, forming a virtuous circle of population, environment and development. It is difficult for people with low population quality to form ecological awareness and environmental awareness. In this case, it is impossible to realize the rational utilization of resources and the sustainable development of social economy and ecological environment. Once backward consciousness and feudal consciousness prevail, it may cause great damage to the environment.
The scientific and cultural quality of the population directly affects the development and utilization of resources. Only when the population has a high scientific and cultural quality can we develop and utilize more and more extensive natural resources and have more choices in resource utilization. The population with low scientific and cultural quality lacks the knowledge and ability to develop and utilize new resources and has to rely on existing resources. When the dependence and use of these resources exceeds a certain intensity, it will cause irreparable consequences. For example, in some fishing areas, the fishing intensity greatly exceeds the reproductive growth capacity of fish populations, leading to the depletion of some fish resources.
People with different scientific and cultural qualities make different use of resources. People with low scientific and cultural quality often make insufficient use of resources, and even lead to the waste of resources by the whole society. In this way, in order to maintain development (often at a low level), on the one hand, more resources are needed, on the other hand, more waste is discharged into the environment, which causes greater pressure on the ecological environment.
The scientific and cultural quality of the population directly affects the environmental consequences of human activities. People with low scientific and cultural quality, either because of lack of environmental awareness or because of insufficient mastery and application of knowledge, often lead to environmental violations. As for the governance and improvement of the environment, the population with high scientific and cultural quality shows greater advantages. They have mastered more advanced scientific and technological knowledge and management experience and applied them to protect and improve the environment. It can be seen that vigorously improving the scientific and cultural quality of the whole nation is one of the fundamental ways to realize environmental protection (Figure "Cultural Quality and Environmental Protection").