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Environmental Burden

Meaning

This is the cumulative physiological and biochemical stress imposed on the human body by exposure to non-native, xenobiotic compounds present in the surrounding environment, including air, water, food, and consumer products. The burden encompasses the toxicological load from endocrine-disrupting chemicals, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants that require metabolic detoxification. This concept acknowledges that health is not solely determined by genetics or lifestyle but also by the external chemical milieu.