The effects of pollution on our health are very many. Despite this, there are very few decisions taken by legislators to defend us from smog. In addition to the impact we all know on respiratory diseases and the development of some forms of cancer, there are many risks that we run from breathing the polluted air of our cities. Children are especially at risk.
Effects of pollution on children
Less intelligent children with poor memory
Researchers from the University of California at San Francisco they discovered that children born to mothers living in polluted areas have an IQ up to seven points lower than those who live in places with cleaner air.
A group of experts from the Institute for Global Health in Barcelona have found that boys exposed to the highest levels of PM2.5 in utero performed worse on memory tests at age 10.
Development problems
Young people who live within easy reach of busy roads are twice as likely to get lower scores on tests of communication skills during childhood. The discovery comes from researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health. They were also more likely to have poorer hand-eye coordination.
Effects of pollution on children: more anxious little ones
Scientists from the University of Cincinnati have said that pollution can alter the structure of children’s brains e make them more anxious. Their study found that anxiety rates were higher among those exposed to the greatest levels of pollution.
They live less
Babies born today will lose nearly two years of their lives to air pollution. A report from the Health Effects Institute says so.
Effects of pollution on children: increases the risk of autism
Researchers from Monash University in Australia have found that young people living in highly polluted areas of Shanghai are 86% more likely to develop autism spectrum syndrome. “The developing brains of young children are more vulnerable to toxic exposures in the environment.” Dr. Yuming Guo is the lead author of the study.
It makes children fat
Experts at the University of Southern California have found that 10-year-olds who lived in polluted areas when they were kids are, on average, fatter than those who grew up with cleaner air. Nitrogen dioxide pollution could be disrupting the way kids burn fat.
Effects of pollution on adults
Women become infertile sooner
Scientists from the University of Modena said that pollution accelerate aging in women, just like smoking. Experts found that nearly two-thirds of women who have low egg “reserve” regularly inhaled toxic air.
Increases the risk of miscarriage
Scientists at the University of Utah have found that pregnant women are 16% more likely to suffer a miscarriage if they live in highly polluted areas.
Effects of pollution: increases the risk of breast cancer
Scientists at the University of Stirling have found that chemicals in traffic fumes increase the risk of developing cancer by turning off BRCA genes, which try to stop tumors from growing.
Damages sperm
Brazilian scientists from the University of São Paulo they discovered that mice exposed to toxic air had lower counts and worse quality sperm than those that had been inhaling clean air since birth.
Effects of Pollution: Lowers libido in men and increases the risk of erectile dysfunction
Scientists at Guangzhou University in China found that rats exposed to air pollution struggled to become sexually aroused. Scientists believe it can affect men as well. Inhaling poisonous particles can trigger inflammation in blood vessels and deprive the genitals of oxygen.
Men who live on smog-filled streets are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection. The fumes reduce blood flow to the genitals.
Effects of pollution: mental health at risk
Scientists at King’s College London have for the first time linked toxic air to intense paranoia and hearing voices in young people. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology they discovered that the more polluted the air, the sadder we are.
Air pollution could be responsible for 60,000 cases of dementia in the UK. These are the calculations of researchers from King’s College London and St George’s London. Small pollutants breathed deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. From there they travel to the brain and cause inflammation, a condition that can trigger dementia.