Long-term air pollution causes obesity and increased waist circumference in women
Written By : Isra Zaman
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2022-10-17 04:00 GMT | Update On 2022-10-17 09:33 GMT
Obesity has been a major global health issue in recent decades as more people eat unhealthy diets and fail to exercise regularly. A new University of Michigan study suggests there is another factor that tips the scale in women's weight, body mass index, waist circumference and body fat which is air pollution.Women in their late 40s and early 50s exposed long-term to air...
Login or Register to read the full article
Obesity has been a major global health issue in recent decades as more people eat unhealthy diets and fail to exercise regularly. A new University of Michigan study suggests there is another factor that tips the scale in women's weight, body mass index, waist circumference and body fat which is air pollution.
Women in their late 40s and early 50s exposed long-term to air pollution-specifically, higher levels of fine particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone-saw increases in their body size and composition measures, said Xin Wang, epidemiology research investigator at the U-M School of Public Health and the study's first author.
These women, whose baseline median age was nearly 50 years, were tracked from 2000 to 2008. The researchers examined the associations between the pollution and the participants body size and composition measures. One question they sought to answer was whether these associations differed by physical activity.
Exposure to air pollution was linked with higher body fat, higher proportion fat and lower lean mass among midlife women. For instance, body fat increased by 4.5%, or about 2.6 pounds.
Researchers explored the interaction between air pollution and physical activity on body composition. High levels of physical activity-which had been based on the frequency, duration and perceived physical exertion of more than 60 exercises-was an effective way to mitigate and offset exposure to air pollution, the research showed.
Ref:
Xin Wang, et al,JOURNAL Diabetes Care
Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .
Disclaimer: This site is primarily intended for healthcare professionals. Any content/information on this website does not replace the advice of medical and/or health professionals and should not be construed as medical/diagnostic advice/endorsement/treatment or prescription. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use, privacy policy, advertisement policy. © 2024 Minerva Medical Treatment Pvt Ltd