A recent study suggests that air pollution is yet another factor that affects midlife women’s weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat. Scientists are finding that air pollution causes a number of new diseases. Researchers from the University of Michigan in the US discovered a correlation between midlife women’s exposure to air pollution and higher body fat, higher proportions of fat, and lower lean mass.
For instance, a study that was published in the journal Diabetes Care found that body fat increased by 4.5%, or about 2.6 pounds. According to Xin Wang, an epidemiology research investigator at the university’s School of Public Health, “women in their late 40s and early 50s exposed long-term to air pollutiona” specifically, higher levels of fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone a” saw increases in their body size and composition measures.”
1,654 white, Black, Chinese, and Japanese women participated in the “Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation,” which provided the study’s data. These women were followed from 2000 to 2008; their baseline median age was close to 50 years. Researchers looked into the effects of exercise and air pollution on body composition. The study found that engaging in a lot of physical activity was an efficient way to reduce and offset exposure to air pollution. The results cannot be applied to men or women in other age groups because the study’s primary population was midlife women, according to Wang. As more people consume unhealthy diets and neglect to engage in regular exercise, obesity has become a significant global health concern in recent decades.
(source : IANS)
