omgevingsgerelateerd

Omgevingsgerelateerd is a Dutch term meaning related to or influenced by the environment. It is used in science, public health, and policy to describe factors, conditions, or effects that originate in the physical, social, or built environment rather than in a person’s genome. The word is formed from omgeving (environment) and gerelateerd (related).

In practice, the expression is applied to omgevingsgerelateerde factoren such as air quality, housing conditions, education, income level, nutrition, noise, and exposure to toxins. In epidemiology and toxicology, distinguishing omgevingsgerelateerde influences from genetically determined ones helps study gene–environment interactions.

The concept covers various domains: public health (air pollution and asthma risk), occupational health (exposure to chemicals), urban planning (neighborhood design and physical activity), and psychology (stress related to social environment). It is often contrasted with genetic, hereditary, or biological factors. Researchers describe phenotypes or diseases as being partly omgevingsgerelateerd, implying that environmental interventions could reduce risk.

Etymology: from Dutch omgeving plus gerelateerd. Spelling: usually written as one word in the base form, with inflection for agreement: omgevingsgerelateerde factoren (plural) or omgevingsgerelateerde aandoeningen.

Limitations: the boundaries of what counts as environment can vary by discipline, and some cases require precise definitions of exposure and context. See also environment, milieu, environmental health, and gene–environment interaction.