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Add another health hazard to air pollution: New research suggests that it could increase the risk of diabetes even at levels considered safe.
Reducing air pollution could reduce diabetes rates
The study was published in The Lancet Planetary Health .
Air pollution remains a problem in South Africa, with Hartebeespoort in the North West Province being the most polluted region This may seem surprising, but the pollution level of Hartebeespoort is just between Tshwane, which is the second highest and Johannesburg, which is the third, mainly because of the many mining operations that contaminate the air. .
How important is the link?
"Our research shows a significant link between air pollution and diabetes in the world," said lead author of the study, Dr. Ziyad Al- Aly. "We have found an increased risk even at low levels of air pollution currently considered safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization," he said. said Al Aly. "This is important because many industry lobbies argue that current levels are too stringent and should be relaxed, evidence shows that current levels are not yet safe enough and need to be strengthened", was -he adds.
But the results do not prove that air pollution causes diabetes.
According to the researchers, air pollution contributed to 3.2 million new cases of diabetes worldwide in 2016, or about 14% of all new cases this year. They also estimated that 8.2 million years of healthy life were lost worldwide in 2016 due to diabetes related to pollution.
In the United States, air pollution is linked to 150,000 new cases of diabetes a year and 350,000 healthy years of life lost each year, according to the report.
Diabetes affects more than 420 million people worldwide and 30 million Americans. The main causes of type 2 diabetes include an unhealthy diet, inactivity and obesity, but this study highlights the importance of outdoor air pollution.
It is believed that air pollution reduces the production of insulin and triggers inflammation. the energy that the body needs to maintain health, explain the authors of the study.
Previous research has linked air pollution with heart disease, stroke, cancer, and kidney disease.
Image Credit: iStock
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