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Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that prolonged traffic pollution is a strong risk factor for older adults losing their ability to live independently without the need for care.

Internal combustion engines in petrol and diesel vehicles release fine particulate matter and gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) into the air that can harm the lungs, heart, brain and other parts of the body.

The Michigan team conducted their research over a 10-year period. They started by looking at the lives of 25,314 older people in the US from 1996 to 2016.

Dr Boya Zhang, lead author of the study and research fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “Air pollution is linked to worse health – more lung disease, more heart disease, shorter life expectancies and more likelihood of dementia. Knowing that air pollution increases our risk of poor health as we age made us wonder if exposures might also impact how people can care for themselves in later life.”

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Parents

  • The stock picture used in this article (showing the exhaust water vapor from new cars with catalytic converters) has either been doctored or was taken under certain atmospheric conditions - could be cold weather conditions. I believe it gives an incorrect visual image of a more normal situation.

    A review of the actual JAMA research paper on which the IET article is based has the following dementia related statement:- "although we did not find a robust association of traffic related PH2.5 levels with dementia."

    This is in contrast with Dr Zhang statement in the article - "-more likelihood of dementia."

    Peter Brooks

    Palm Bay 

Comment

  • The stock picture used in this article (showing the exhaust water vapor from new cars with catalytic converters) has either been doctored or was taken under certain atmospheric conditions - could be cold weather conditions. I believe it gives an incorrect visual image of a more normal situation.

    A review of the actual JAMA research paper on which the IET article is based has the following dementia related statement:- "although we did not find a robust association of traffic related PH2.5 levels with dementia."

    This is in contrast with Dr Zhang statement in the article - "-more likelihood of dementia."

    Peter Brooks

    Palm Bay 

Children
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