By: Isha Verma
There are millions of individuals all over the world who reside in certain countries which are exposed to tons of pollution per year. It damages crops, creates respiratory issues and impacts water sources, just to name a few. With this vast range of negative impacts, researchers were shocked to discover one more risk to add to the list. Through recent investigation, it was found that air pollution has been linked to greater risks of diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease which results in the body being unable to produce its own insulin (Type 1), or cannot use the insulin which the body produces (Type 2). Insulin is a peptide hormone which is able to regulate blood glucose levels. This is often the reason why individuals diagnosed with diabetes are unable to obtain diets with high amounts of added sugar, as too much sugar can put the body at risk due to the absence of insulin to maintain those levels. For this specific study, however, scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine decided to analyze the impact of pollution on this prevalent disease by observing groups of former veterans for a median amount of 8.5 years, specifically looking at particles called PM2.5. They are categorized according to its size due to the different health effects which can be associated with particles of different diameters, which is why the name PM2.5 represents that the particles are 2.5 micrometers in size. These particles are what makes the appearance of air become smoky and hazy, emitted by many types of sources of pollutants, including fuel burning and emissions from vehicles. With toxic properties, these particles penetrate the lungs and are able to easily enter the bloodstream. It has been discovered that from this point, as blood is circulated to different organs, PM2.5 causes inflammation to organs such as the pancreas and liver, and thus, the inflammation results in insulin resistance. If continued for a long period of time, the severity can increase to a point where the pancreas is unable to produce insulin and diabetes is developed.
Due to these findings, it has been predicted that in 2016, air pollution contributed to about 3.2 million cases of diabetes. With factors such as pollution becoming a significant contributor to not only the health of humans, but wildlife and the environment as well, it is important to consider the ways which we can reduce pollutants in our air, such as:
Taking less trips in a vehicle (walking, biking, carpooling, public transit)
Avoiding using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment
Using environmentally safe paints and cleaning products whenever possible
Using energy-efficient appliances
For more information, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-pollution.html.
References
Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/risk-and-prevention/condition-risk-factors/diabetes
Khazan, O. (2018, July 05). A Frightening New Reason to Worry About Air Pollution. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/07/a-frightening-new-reason-to-worry-about-air-pollution/564428/
Townley, C. (2018, July 06). Strong link found between air pollution and diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322358.php
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