California study links air pollution to obesity

In a recent study, children who lived close to high-traffic roadways were found to have higher obesity rates.

     One more contributor to the widespread rise in obesity across the United States has been identified, and it's all around us. Scientists from the University of California system and the University of Southern California have determined that air pollution is responsible for at least some of our nation's collective weight gain.

     The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, used a longitudinal method of data gathering, following over 3,000 California children from age 10 to age 18. The authors aimed to look into both the effects of secondhand smoke and those of near-roadway air pollution (NRP) on body mass index (BMI) over that 8-year period, controlling for factors like socioeconomic status, physical activity level and initial BMI. Air pollution levels were calculated using state data on traffic volume near the participants' home addresses.

     They found that children who had been exposed to higher levels of NRP had similar BMI increases to those who had been exposed to secondhand smoke. They also found that those who were exposed to both high levels of ambient pollution and cigarette smoke in their homes had a higher gain than either group alone, at 2 kg/m2 higher than participants who were exposed to neither secondhand smoke nor NRP. This means that air pollution is a factor to be reckoned with when it comes to health outcomes, and should be treated as equally as harmful as the chemicals in tobacco smoke.

     When it comes to staying slim, keeping the air in your home clean is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you live by a large roadway and are concerned about the effects of air pollution, contact US Air Purifiers for help finding a home air purifier to suit your particular needs.