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CHICAGO, July 2 (Xinhua) – A study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis links outdoor air pollution even to levels deemed safe , at an increased risk of diabetes in the world.
in collaboration with scientists from the Veterans Affairs Clinical Epidemiology Center, examined the relationship between particulate matter and diabetes risk by first analyzing data from 1.7 million US veterans who had no history of diabetes and were followed for a median of 8.5
The researchers linked patient data to the air monitoring systems of the patient. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and space satellites operated by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
. statistical models and tested the validity compared to controls such as sodium concentrations in the ambient air, and fractures of the lower limbs, as well as the risk of developing diabetes. This exercise helped researchers eliminate false associations
Then they screened all research on diabetes and outdoor air pollution and devised a model to assess the risk of diabetes at various levels. of pollution. "Our study shows a significant link between air pollution and diabetes on a global scale," said Ziyad Al-Aly, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine. "We found an increased risk even at low levels of air pollution currently considered safe by the US EPA and the World Health Organization (WHO). Evidence shows that current levels are not yet safe enough and need to be tightened, "adds the researcher.
Among a sample of veterans exposed to a pollution of between 5 and 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air, about 21 percent developed diabetes.When this exposure increased to 11.9 to 13.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air, about 24 percent of the group developed diabetes.
The researchers also found that the overall risk of diabetes-related pollution is more inclined towards low-income countries such as India that lacks resources for environmental mitigation systems and remediation policies. Air.
The d iabetes affects more than 420 million people worldwide and 30 million Americans. In the United States, the study attributes 150,000 new cases of diabetes a year to air pollution and 350,000 years of healthy life lost each year.
The results were published June 29 in Lancet Planetary Health.
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