Air pollution is becoming the new normal as air quality stoops slowly and consistently. Lifestyles with a byproduct as air pollution are being adopted unknowingly as our societies reach the pinnacle of technology and convenience. Mostly the causes for air pollution are vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, domestic smoke, wildfires, crop fires etc. Many home products are minor to medium air pollutants. In the past many reports connecting air pollution and health diseases have been published. Many of these reports categorise the elderly and children as the most vulnerable to air pollution.
A comprehensive new study, examining potential health risks from low levels of air pollution exposure in 68.5 million older Americans was published by Health Effects Institute. Reporting risks of mortality, including at the lowest levels of exposure to fine particulate matter (pm2.5) even below current U S National Ambient Air Quality Standards(NAAQS).
The study assessing adverse health effects of long- term exposure was carried out by Prof. F. Dominici and her team for four long years. The team reported a 6% to 8% increased risk of mortality among the people who were exposed to air with extra 10 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) of PM2.5. The report was reviewed by the HEI Low-Exposure Epidemiology Studies Review Panel to confirm the conclusions. As per HEI’s latest Global Burden of Disease – Major Air Pollution Sources report, a major source of PM2.5 comes from the burning of fossil fuels, accounting for more than 1 million deaths globally.
America’s current annual national standard of 12 µg/m3 is about to be reviewed by the EPA. This level is higher than WHO’s recommendation. The findings from Prof. Dominici & Team’s report suggests that 143,257 deaths could have been prevented between 2006 and 2016 if the national air pollution standard would have been stricter.
Although air pollution has been declining over the past few decades in many higher income countries, several studies published in the past decade have reported greater risk of mortality & long- term exposures to low concentration of air pollutants.
As per India’s Central Pollution Control Board the air pollution standard for healthy air quality is 50µg/m3. This level is 5 times more than the recommended levels by WHO. The AQI in many parts of India cross these national standards every day. The Findings of the report by Prof. Dominici & Co. are to be taken into consideration while dealing with variants of Covid-19 and timely action & precaution can save millions of people all over the world. Prevention is always better than cure.
Low Levels Of Air Pollution Fatal For Older People – Research Finds
Latest from Health
Insecticides in Minnesota Water Systems: Study Reveals Urban and Rural Neonicotinoid Contamination Across All Zones
University of Minnesota researchers detected concerning levels of neonicotinoid insecticides across Minnesota’s hydrological systems between 2019-2022. The study, published in Science of The Total Environment, analyzed water samples from 15 natural springs
Global Antibiotic Consumption Soars 16% to 34.3 Billion Doses Amid Alarming Resistance Trends
Remember when a simple strep throat could be knocked out with basic penicillin? Those days are fading fast. Each time you pop an antibiotic, microscopic bacteria are learning to fight back through
Kitchen Renovations Cut PM2.5 by 23% and Save Lives—Are $12B Improvements the Answer for China?
New research from Peking University shows that basic kitchen improvements – adding ventilation fans and separate cooking spaces – could prevent 67,400 premature deaths each year in rural China. The facts are
Psilocybin Reduces OCD Symptoms by Up to 19% in Mice: Could a Single Mushroom Dose Replace Daily Medications?
Hebrew University scientists have documented sustained effects of psilocybin, a special kind of mushroom, on compulsive behaviors lasting up to seven weeks after a single dose with its extract. The research, published
Costco Recalls Nearly 80,000 Pounds of Kirkland Butter for Missing Milk Allergen Labeling—Check Affected Lots Now
In a recent development that sparked both concern and online discussion, Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC initiated a voluntary recall of Kirkland Signature butter products in October 2023. The recall affects nearly
Air Pollution Linked to Autism Risk: Study Reveals Fine Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Oxides Impact Prenatal Brain Development, Increasing Vulnerability to ASD
It’s wisely said that health is wealth. Mental health is still more important for anyone’s growth. A groundbreaking review, published in Brain Medicine, has revealed how common air pollutants might significantly impact
Breast Cancer Rates Up 1% Yearly, with Sharpest Rises Among Women Under 50 and AAPI Women—Black Women 38% More Likely to Die Despite Lower Incidence
Breast cancer rates have been climbing steadily at 1% per year from 2012-2021, with even sharper increases for women under 50 and Asian American and Pacific Islander women, according to a recent
Exercise Just 5 Minutes Daily to Lower Blood Pressure and Cut Heart Disease Risk by 10%, New Study Finds
We’ve long wondered how much exercise we really need for better heart health. Now, a comprehensive British Heart Foundation-funded study published in Circulation brings us precise answers about blood pressure management through
American Stroke Association’s 2024 Guidelines: How Diet, Exercise, and Social Factors Could Prevent 80% of First Strokes
The American Stroke Association (ASA), a division of the American Heart Association, has released its 2024 stroke prevention guidelines – replacing the 2014 version. With over 600,000 Americans experiencing their first stroke
Fish Oil’s Omega-3 and Omega-6 Could Help Lower Risks for 19 Cancer Types, But a New Study Finds One Key Exception
Scientists at the University of Georgia dug deep into this idea, looking at health records of 250,000 people – yeah, that’s about the population of a small city! Over 10 years of
Canada Confirms First Human H5 Avian Flu Case as B.C. Teen Tests Positive—Health Officials Monitor Spread
A teenager in British Columbia has tested positive for H5 avian influenza, making this the first human case detected in Canada. The young patient from the Fraser Health region is receiving care
PRIMA Retinal Implant Achieves 23-Letter Vision Gain in AMD Patients: Legally Blind Regain Ability to Read and Recognize Faces
Science Corporation’s PRIMA retinal implant system has achieved unprecedented success in restoring functional vision to patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to preliminary clinical trial results released October 21, 2024. The
Hemp Seeds: The Protein-Packed Superfood Behind 12 Must-Try Recipes, from Vegan Meatballs to Dairy-Free Crêpes
The health-conscious foodies and culinary inventors have won over hemp seeds. These seeds are very versatile and powerful nutritional superfoods. The powerhouse in hemp seeds consists of a balanced mixture of protein,
EU PFAS Ban Pushes Fraunhofer’s Novel PFAS-Free Solutions: How Health Technology is Adapting
Our life is full of complexities. It depends on many factors. One of them is chemicals we use in our daily life. Some chemicals are toxic. That is why the EU (European
Microscopic Robots Deliver 4 Drugs Precisely: A New Milestone in Targeted Therapy Advances
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have created soft robots the size of a grain that can carry and deliver multiple medications inside the human body. These microscopic medical couriers,
