Vehicular emission weakens bones, speeds up ageing
Living in polluted cities is harmful for health. Earlier several studies have shown air pollution causes a range of medical issues such as lung cancer, stroke, heart diseases, asthma, dementia, depression et al. Now, a new study has warned that inhalation of toxic airborne particles emitted by diesel and petrol vehicles can weaken bones and speed up the ageing process.
Researchers came to this disturbing conclusion after studying the health of nearly 4,000 residents from 28 villages just outside the city of Hyderabad, in southern India.
The researchers, whose study is published in the JAMA Network Open journal observed that those who inhaled more toxic airborne particles had less bone mass in their spines and hips. Household air pollution did not have a clear association with bone mass.
The bone mass loss due to the oxidative stress and inflammation was caused by the toxic particulate matters, said the study led by Otavio T Ranzani, from Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain. Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.
The researchers took measurements of PM2.5 and black carbon in the atmosphere in each village. Total 28 villages were studied. PM2.5 is the finest type of particulate matter, while black carbon is a larger toxin. Both come mainly from petrol and diesel vehicle exhausts. Analysis revealed average PM2.5 exposure was 33 micrograms per meter cubed (ug/m3) — far above the maximum 10ug/m3 levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), said the researchers Carles Milà from National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad and Bharati Kulkarni from Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London.
The researchers had cross-referenced pollution levels with X-rays measuring bone mass in participant’s lower back and hip. Results showed that exposure to air pollution were associated with lower levels of bone mass. For every 3ug/m3 increase in fine particulate matter, there was a decrease of -0.57g of bone mass in the spine and -0.13g in the hip, said the study titled ‘Association of Ambient and Household Air Pollution With Bone Mineral Content Among Adults in Peri-urban South India’.
An increase of 1ug/m3 of carbon saw bone density shrink by -1.13g in the spine and -0.35g in the hip, said Ranzani adding that “this study contributes to the limited and inconclusive literature on air pollution and bone health.”
According to the WHO, air pollution causes an estimated seven million premature deaths a year worldwide — one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart disease.
The WHO also points out that every day around 93 per cent of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Tragically, many of them die: WHO estimates that in 2016, 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air.
A recent report by the global health agency notes that when pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely, and have small, low birth-weight children. “Air pollution also impacts neuro-development and cognitive ability and can trigger asthma, and childhood cancer. Children who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution may be at greater risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease later in life,” said the report.
Researchers came to this disturbing conclusion after studying the health of nearly 4,000 residents from 28 villages just outside the city of Hyderabad, in southern India.
The researchers, whose study is published in the JAMA Network Open journal observed that those who inhaled more toxic airborne particles had less bone mass in their spines and hips. Household air pollution did not have a clear association with bone mass.
The bone mass loss due to the oxidative stress and inflammation was caused by the toxic particulate matters, said the study led by Otavio T Ranzani, from Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain. Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.
The researchers took measurements of PM2.5 and black carbon in the atmosphere in each village. Total 28 villages were studied. PM2.5 is the finest type of particulate matter, while black carbon is a larger toxin. Both come mainly from petrol and diesel vehicle exhausts. Analysis revealed average PM2.5 exposure was 33 micrograms per meter cubed (ug/m3) — far above the maximum 10ug/m3 levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), said the researchers Carles Milà from National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad and Bharati Kulkarni from Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London.
The researchers had cross-referenced pollution levels with X-rays measuring bone mass in participant’s lower back and hip. Results showed that exposure to air pollution were associated with lower levels of bone mass. For every 3ug/m3 increase in fine particulate matter, there was a decrease of -0.57g of bone mass in the spine and -0.13g in the hip, said the study titled ‘Association of Ambient and Household Air Pollution With Bone Mineral Content Among Adults in Peri-urban South India’.
An increase of 1ug/m3 of carbon saw bone density shrink by -1.13g in the spine and -0.35g in the hip, said Ranzani adding that “this study contributes to the limited and inconclusive literature on air pollution and bone health.”
According to the WHO, air pollution causes an estimated seven million premature deaths a year worldwide — one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart disease.
The WHO also points out that every day around 93 per cent of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Tragically, many of them die: WHO estimates that in 2016, 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air.
A recent report by the global health agency notes that when pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely, and have small, low birth-weight children. “Air pollution also impacts neuro-development and cognitive ability and can trigger asthma, and childhood cancer. Children who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution may be at greater risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease later in life,” said the report.