(Press-News.org) Every year, more than one million deaths globally occur because of exposure to short-term (hours to days) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air pollution, according to a new report, with Eastern Asia reporting more than 50% of deaths attributable to short-term PM2.5 globally.
To date most studies have focused on the health impacts of living in cities where pollution levels are consistently high, ignoring the frequent “spikes” in pollution that can impact smaller urban areas that occur for instance landscape fires, dust, and other intermittent extreme air-pollution concentration events.
The Monash University study, looking at mortality and pollution levels of PM2.5 in over 13,000 cities and towns across the globe in the two decades to 2019, is published today in The Lancet Planetary Health.
Led by Professor Yuming Guo, the study is important because it is the first to look at short-term exposure globally – rather than the long-term impacts of persistent exposure such as for people living in cities with high pollution levels.
The researchers found that breathing in PM2.5 for even a few hours, and up to a few days, results in more than one million premature deaths occurring worldwide every year, particularly in Asia and Africa, and more than a fifth (22.74%) of them occurred in urban areas.
According to Professor Guo, the short-term health effects of being exposed to air pollution have been well documented, “such as the megafires in Australia during the so-called Black Summer of 2019–20 which were estimated to have led to 429 smoke-related premature deaths and 3230 hospital admissions as a result of acute and persistent exposure to extremely high levels of bushfire-related air pollution,” he said.
“But this is the first study to map the global impacts of these short bursts of air pollution exposure.”
The authors add that because of the high population densities in urban areas together with high levels of air pollution, “understanding the mortality burden associated with short-term exposure toPM2.5 in such areas is crucial for mitigating the negative effects of air pollution on the urban population.”
According to the study:
Asia accounted for approximately 65.2% of global mortality due to short-term PM2.5 exposure
Africa 17.0%
Europe 12.1%
The Americas 5.6%
Oceania 0.1%
The mortality burden was highest in crowded, highly polluted areas in eastern Asia, southern Asia, and western Africa with the fraction of deaths attributable to short-term PM2.5 exposure in eastern Asia was more than 50% higher than the global average.
Most areas in Australia saw a small decrease in the number of attributable deaths, but the attributable death fraction increased from 0.54% in 2000 to 0.76% in 2019, which was larger than any other subregions. One potential reason could be the increasing frequency and scale of extreme weather-related air pollution events, such as bushfire events in 2019.
The study recommends that - where health is most affected by acute air pollution – implementing targeted interventions—such as air-pollution warning systems and community evacuation plans—to avoid transient exposure to high PM2.5 concentrations could mitigate its acute health damages.
END
Short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution kills 1 million globally every year
Every year, one million+ deaths globally linked to exposure to short-term (hours to days) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air
2024-03-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Living in “leafy” areas may boost bone density and lower osteoporosis risk
2024-03-06
Living in leafy areas near gardens, parks, and green spaces, may boost bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis, finds research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Lower levels of air pollution in green spaces is a significant contributory factor to the associations found, conclude the researchers.
Osteoporosis weakens bones, making them fragile and prone to fracture. It can lead to chronic pain, diminished mobility, and poorer quality of life. Already a major health issue worldwide, its global prevalence is set to rise with the rapid ageing of the population and changes in ...
Taking 9000 to 10000 steps daily may counteract the risk of death and cardiovascular disease in highly sedentary people
2024-03-06
Every additional step up to around 10,000 steps per day reduces the risk of death and cardiovascular disease (CVD), regardless of how much remaining time is spent sedentary, reports a large population-based study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Some previous studies have shown that greater daily step counts are associated with lower levels of death and CVD, while others have linked high levels of sedentary behaviour with increased risks of CVD and death. However, none of these studies investigated whether high levels of physical activity may offset or lessen the higher risk of death and CVD ...
Even low levels of leisure time physical activity help to lower stroke risk
2024-03-06
Even people whose physical activity levels fall short of recommended guidelines, but who manage to do some during their leisure time, are likely to have a lower risk of stroke than their sedentary peers, suggests a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
The effects are independent of age and sex, the findings show, prompting the authors to suggest that everyone should be encouraged to do whatever level of physical activity they can manage in their leisure time.
There’s no doubt that ...
Daily step count of 9,000 to 10,000 may counteract risk of death and cardiovascular disease in highly sedentary people
2024-03-06
In good news for office workers, a new study from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre (Australia) has found increasing your step count may counteract the health consequences of too much sedentary time each day.
The study of over 72,000 people, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found every additional step up to around 10,000 steps a day was linked to reduced risk of death (39 percent) and cardiovascular disease (21 percent) regardless of how much remaining time was spent sedentary.
Previous studies have shown an association between greater daily step count and lower levels ...
Novel device for stomach complaints has successful human trial
2024-03-06
The endoscopic mapping device, developed over more than a decade by scientists at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, consists of an inflatable sphere covered in sensors, delivered down the oesophagus and able to measure electrical activity in the gut.
In the same way abnormal heart electrical signals can cause serious heart problems, so research has found faulty bioelectric gut waves can lead to stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and bloating.
But often doctors can’t find out what the problem is. ...
Oregon State researchers make key advance toward removing pesticide from groundwater
2024-03-06
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scientists led by an Oregon State University chemistry researcher are closing in on a new tool for tackling the global problem of weedkiller-tainted groundwater.
Kyriakos Stylianou of the OSU College of Science led an international team that identified a material known as a metal-organic framework, or MOF, that showed an ability to completely remove, and also break down, the oft-used herbicide glyphosate.
The MOF, one of four tested in a collaboration among scientists from Oregon State and Tiangong University in China, is based on scandium, chemical symbol Sc, ...
UTEP clinical trial to encourage healthy walking habits
2024-03-06
EL PASO, Texas (March 5, 2024) – Health researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso are launching a clinical trial to improve walking in the El Paso community, thanks to a $4.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The project will enroll local school district employees in 50K 4 Life, a program that challenges them to improve their health by walking at least 50,000 steps per week.
“This is an exciting opportunity to improve our community’s health through the simple, free and life-changing ...
Research explores the cooling effects of ‘scuba-diving’ in lizards
2024-03-06
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Anoles are the scuba-diving champions of the lizard world, able to stay underwater for more than 16 minutes. For animals whose body temperature depends on the environment, time spent in a cool running stream can have some tradeoffs, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
A recent study by Binghamton University doctoral candidate Alexandra M. Martin, Christopher K. Boccia of Queens University in Canada, and Binghamton University Assistant Research Professor of Biological Sciences Lindsey ...
Gender gap on Wikipedia
2024-03-05
Since it was created in 2001, Wikipedia has become a key element of the modern public sphere, which has revolutionized the way we create and share information. However, it has defects when it comes to its decentralization and flexibility, specially regarding inclusion and diversity.
Some gender biases that stand out are shown in its content and its editorial participation. It has a low percentage of women’s biographies and an unequal representation in editing. Also, there are gaps in the gender representation regarding its content, biases in editing and participation, as well as imbalances in readership.
These ...
Scientists to study real-world eating behaviors using wearable sensors and artificial intelligence
2024-03-05
A pedometer measures your steps, but what if you had a similar automated device to measure your eating behavior? Evidence from nutritional studies has long shown that the speed, timing and duration of an individual’s eating behavior are strongly related to obesity and other health issues. While eating behaviors can be accurately measured in a controlled laboratory setting, a blind spot exists when researchers attempt to study how participants actually eat “in the wild.”
A new National Institutes ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Study unexpectedly finds living in rural, rather than urban environments in first five years of life could be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes
Editorial urges deeper focus on heart-lung interactions in pulmonary vascular disease
Five University of Tennessee faculty receive Fulbright Awards
5 advances to protect water sources, availability
OU Scholar awarded Fulbright for Soviet cinema research
Brain might become target of new type 1 diabetes treatments
‘Shore Wars:’ New research aims to resolve coastal conflict between oysters and mangroves, aiding restoration efforts
Why do symptoms linger in some people after an infection? A conversation on post-acute infection syndromes
Study reveals hidden drivers of asthma flare-ups in children
Physicists decode mysterious membrane behavior
New insights about brain receptor may pave way for next-gen mental health drugs
Melanoma ‘sat-nav’ discovery could help curb metastasis
When immune commanders misfire: new insights into rheumatoid arthritis inflammation
SFU researchers develop a new tool that brings blender-like lighting control to any photograph
Pups in tow, Yellowstone-area wolves trek long distances to stay near prey
AI breakthrough unlocks 'new' materials to replace lithium-ion batteries
Making molecules make sense: A regional explanation method reveals structure–property relationships
Partisan hostility, not just policy, drives U.S. protests
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 1, 2025
Young human blood serum factors show potential to rejuvenate skin through bone marrow
Large language models reshape the future of task planning
Narrower coverage of MS drugs tied to higher relapse risk
Researchers harness AI-powered protein design to enhance T-cell based immunotherapies
Smartphone engagement during school hours among US youths
Online reviews of health care facilities
MS may begin far earlier than previously thought
New AI tool learns to read medical images with far less data
Announcing XPRIZE Healthspan as Tier 5 Sponsor of ARDD 2025
Announcing Immortal Dragons as Tier 4 Sponsor of ARDD 2025
Reporting guideline for chatbot health advice studies
[Press-News.org] Short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution kills 1 million globally every yearEvery year, one million+ deaths globally linked to exposure to short-term (hours to days) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air