Air Pollution Can Cause Diabetes Even At 'Safe' Levels Says Study

Air pollution is a modern day problem that has been slowly whittling down at our health. It is known to worsen hypertension, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disorders and even cancer. A US study has now tied air pollution to diabetes. It says that even low levels of pollution can significantly raise the chances of developing diabetes. Here's how you can control diabetes with food.

The metabolic disorder has been traditionally liked to lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet. But researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine at St. Louis said that pollution could also play a big role in causing diabetes. According to the study, one in seven cases of diabetes has been caused by air pollution.

The study said that air pollution alone contributed to 3.2 million new cases of diabetes in 2016. Around 14 percent of all new diabetes cases across the world that year could be attributed to pollution. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the senior author of the sudy said that this was because of the insulin-reducing effects of pollution. It prevents the body from converting the glucose in the body into energy.

The research was published in the Lancet Planetary Health, which found an increased risk even with levels of pollution that are officially considered "safe" by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization. Al-Aly said that it was important to focus attention on the matter since many industry-lobbying groups say that the current acceptable pollution levels are too strict and the agencies should relax it. The evidence refutes the claims made by the industry lobby. Even at the so-called safe levels, pollution can affect human health.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2018 11:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).