Washington scientists have proposed a theory that reducing air pollution can reduce the number of people with type 2 diabetes.
In the experiment, researchers at the University of Washington used NASA satellites and found that in the UK, about 25,000 people get type 2 diabetes each year due to polluted air.
Of course, frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate or processed foods and unhealthy lifestyles are the main causes of type 2 diabetes. However, according to a study by scientists, living in a smoky urban area also increases the risk of getting sick.
Air pollution may be the cause of at least one in 10 cases of type 2 diabetes in the UK. At the same time, the number may be higher depending on the level of pollution in the city. In this way, downtown residents are more at risk than those living in the suburbs.
Air pollution is a major trigger for the disease and should not be ignored," said Dr. Ziad Al-Ali, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington. , and lost 31,800 healthy years of life. We have not studied pollution in specific cities, but our results have shown that pollution and the risk of developing diabetes are directly proportional.
Over the past few years, scientists have increasingly linked type 2 diabetes to high levels of air pollution. Although the exact mechanisms of the disease are unclear, scientists suggest that patients' place of residence and income may be determinants.
The new research was based on 8 years of analytical work with 1.7 million US veterans. The researchers also used data from NASA satellites and readings from ground stations that monitored air pollution at the study participants' sites.
To determine whether the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased in areas with high levels of pollution, the researchers linked the results to statistics on air pollution in 194 other countries.
The results of the analysis showed that in 2016, the cause of 3.2 million cases of type 2 diabetes was reduced to air pollution - which is 14% of new cases.
According to the results of the study, approximately 21% of people living in an environment containing 5-10 micrograms of polluted air per cubic meter have type 2 diabetes. When the pollution was 11.9-13.6 mcg per cubic meter, the percentage increased to 24%.
Scientists warn that in London and other British cities, the level could rise to 60 micrograms per cubic meter, while the average level of air pollution in the country is 12.
The study was published in The Lancet Planetary Health.
