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There Are Multiple Child Asthma Triggers in Dirty Air

There's a toxic stew of chemicals in polluted air that can all trigger asthma attacks in kids, new research shows.

Also, where a child lives -- for example, near factories or highways -- greatly influences how much they're exposed to these toxins, reports a team from Washington State University in Spokane.

“It’s not just one pollutant that can be linked to

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 14, 2024
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  • Living Near Green Spaces Could Strengthen Your Bones

    Living close to trees and other greenery could be keeping your bones strong, a new 12-year study suggests.

    Folks whose residences were near spots deemed "green" by satellite imagery tended to have better bone density than those who lived elsewhere, Chinese researchers found.

    Reductions in air pollution seemed key to greenery's benefit for bones, according to a team led by

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 7, 2024
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  • Dirty Air Increasingly Affects Minority Communities

    Air pollution harms the health of everyone exposed to it, but a new study says communities of color are disproportionately harmed by dirty air.

    Smog causes nearly 8 times higher childhood asthma rates and 1.3 times higher risk of premature death among minority communities compared to white communities, researchers found.

    These elevated risks are a matter of geography, said study co-...

    Dirty Air Could Be Raising Your Alzheimer's Risk

    People exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution are more likely to have more amyloid plaques in their brain, a condition associated with Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.

    Seniors were nearly twice as likely to have more amyloid plaques if, in the year before their death, they lived in places with high concentrations of particle pollution caused by traffic, results sho...

    Move to Electric Vehicles Could Prevent Millions of Child Asthma Attacks Each Year

    If all cars and trucks sold in America were "zero emission" by 2040 and the country's electric grid was also powered by clean energy, nearly 2.8 million child asthma attacks would be prevented annually, a new report finds.

    The American Lung Association (ALA) report also estimates that with cleaner air, 508 infant lives ...

    Despite the Evidence, Nearly 15% of Americans Deny Climate Change

    Nearly 15% of Americans still deny that climate change is real, according to a new national assessment from the University of Michigan.

    Evidence of climate change has been mounting, including science which has shown that climate-related natural disasters are growing in frequency and intensity sooner than originally predicted, researchers said.

    Nevertheless, climate change is still n...

    A Quarter of Americans Breathe 'Unhealthy Air,' Report Shows

    Few can forget the haunting images of New York City bathed in a thick orange smog after smoke from Canadian wildfires swept southward last summer.

    Now, a new report from the First Street Foundation suggests these alarming effects of climate change are becoming far more common, wit...

    Biden Administration to Tighten Air Pollution Standards

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it is cracking down on air pollution.

    Specifically, the agency introduced a tougher air quality standard that takes aim at fine particulate matter -- the tiny bits of pollution that can penetrate the lungs -- by lowering the allowable annual concentration of the deadly pollutant that each state can have.

    “This final air q...

    Ozone-Linked Deaths on the Rise Globally

    Deaths related to ozone air pollution will rise significantly around the world during the next two decades due to climate change, a new study warns.

    Cities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa can expect to see ozone-related deaths increase by as many as 6,200 fatalities a year by 2054 unless humans rein in global warming, researchers project.

    “This paper is furthe...

    American Air Is Getting Cleaner, But Benefits Aren't Reaching All

    An American's income and ethnicity could play a role in how clean the air is that they breathe, a new study finds.

    Air pollution emissions have fallen more in wealthier areas, and less in areas with larger Hispanic or American Indian populations.

    Overall, U.S. air pollution emissions have decreased substantially, but the magnitude of the change varies based on demographics, the rese...

    Wildfires Are Undoing Gains Made Against Air Pollution

    Unhealthy air from wildfires is causing hundreds of additional deaths in the western United States every year, a new study claims.

    Wildfires have undercut progress made in cleaning America's air, and between 2000 and 2020 caused an increase of 670 premature deaths each year in the West, researchers report Dec. 4 in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

    “Our air is supposed...

    Commuting on a Highway? Your Blood Pressure May Pay a Price

    It's not just bumper-to-bumper highway traffic that's causing your blood pressure to spike during your daily commute.

    New research shows that the exhaust fumes spewing from all those vehicles triggers a significant increase in car passengers' blood pressure.

    The observed increase is comparable to the effect of a high-salt diet, researchers found, and the effect can last up to 24 hou...

    Breathing in Coal-Based Pollution Could Be Especially Deadly: Study

    When it comes to the ultra-fine particles you may breathe in from polluted air, all is not created equal as it affects your health.

    Fine particle pollutants known PM2.5 -- particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter -- appear to double the risk for premature death over time if they originate from coal-fired power plants versus other sources, a

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 27, 2023
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  • Most Americans Know Little About Harmful PFAS 'Forever Chemicals'

    Nearly half of Americans have never heard of health-threatening PFAS “forever chemicals,” a new survey has found.

    PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a category of thousands of manufactured chemicals that have become an emerging concern to environmental and human health, researchers from Texas A&M University said.

    Nonetheless, 45% of survey participants ...

    Air Pollution Exposure Before Birth May Harm Reproductive Development: Study

    Air pollution could be harming the development of children, reaching into the womb to alter their healthy growth, a new study reports.

    Researchers say certain air pollutants appear to negatively alter a specific measure of prenatal exposure to hormones.

    “These findings suggest air pollution may interfere with normal hormone activity during critical periods of prenatal and early in...

    Wildfire Smoke Raises Risks for Folks on Dialysis

    Exposure to wildfire-related air pollution in western states has taken its toll on U.S. patients who are on dialysis.

    New research linked it to elevated risks of hospitalization and death in patients who were receiving in-center hemodialysis treatment in Washington, Oregon and Califo...

    Car Exhaust Could Harm a Woman's Pregnancy

    Air pollution from heavy traffic may be driving pregnancy complications and health concerns for infants.

    Researchers who matched more than 60,000 birth records with air-monitoring data found that pregnant patients living in an urban area with elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide had higher rates of preterm birth.

    This included delivery before 28 weeks, according to

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 16, 2023
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  • Smoggy Days Raise Short-Term Odds for Stroke

    Exposure to air pollution, even for just a short time, drives up your risk of having a stroke over the next few days, new research warns.

    That conclusion stems from a review of 110 studies conducted across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

    Depending on the specific nature of the pollutant in question, stroke risk rose anywhere from 5% to 28% within less than a week after first being e...

    Wildfire Smoke Pollution a Growing Global Threat

    More people around the world are exposed to wildfire smoke that has the potential to harm human health, and their numbers are growing, new research finds.

    More than 2 billion people are exposed to at least one day of potentially health-impacting wildfire smoke each year, a figure that has grown by almost 7% in the past decade, according to a study led by Australian scientists.

    Mor...

    Wildfire Smoke Is Reversing Recent Clean-Air Gains Across the U.S.

    When Canadian wildfire smoke shrouded the New York City skyline and spread to parts of New England this summer, millions of East Coast residents saw firsthand just how pervasive it can be.

    Now, a new study quantifies exactly what wildfire smoke is doing to hard-fought gains in cleaning up the air, even in Eastern states not typically affected by wildfires.

    “Since 2000, there's bee...

    Dirty Air Could Raise Breast Cancer Risk

    Air pollution has long been known to harm the heart and lungs, but new research suggests it might also raise the risk of breast cancer.

    Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) discovered that the largest increases in breast cancer incidence were among women who, on average, had higher levels of particulate...

    Could Wildfire Smoke Raise Rural Suicide Rates?

    As this summer has shown, the massive smoke plumes generated by wildfires can dirty the air of regions many miles away. Now a new study is raising the question of whether that pollution is contributing to suicides in rural America.

    Researchers found a correlation between air pollution from "drifting" wildfire smoke and a rise in U.S. counties' suicide rates. The connection was not seen ev...

    Canadian Wildfire Smoke Caused Spikes in Asthma-Related ER Visits Across the U.S.

    Smoke from Canadian wildfires sent high numbers of people suffering from asthma attacks to America's emergency rooms this spring and summer, according to two new reports.

    From April 30 to August 4, 2023, smoke from out-of-control wildfires in Canada increased emergency room visits for asthma by 17% over average, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ...

    Canadian Wildfire Smoke's Health Impact on NYC  Residents May Have Been Less Than Feared

    Living through days of smoky air from Canadian wildfires in June was unpleasant for New York City residents, but new data shows it wasn't as immediately concerning for their lungs as feared.

    The research finds breathing-related hospital visits weren't much worse in the city on these days than when pollen is especially high, though longer-term impacts aren't so clear.

    “Thankfully, ...

    Living With Air Pollution Raises Chances of Dementia, Study Finds

    People who daily breathe in air pollution, particularly from wildfires or agricultural sources, might need to add a heightened risk of dementia to their list of health concerns.

    New research looked at the potential effects of particle pollution on dementia, finding an association even ...

    Air Pollution Is Causing Rise in Deaths, Disability Worldwide

    The heart risks posed by air pollution have grown worldwide over the past three decades, a new study claims.

    The annual number of premature heart-related deaths and years of disability attributable to particulate matter (PM) air pollution increased 31% between 1990 and 2019, the researchers reported.

    Men suffered more than women, experiencing a 43% increase in air pollution-related ...

    Breathing Dirty Air Raises Odds for Wide Range of Cancers

    New research links air pollution to a variety of cancers, not just lung cancer.

    Long-term exposure to fine-particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may also increase the risk of developing colon, prostate and other cancers, researchers found.

    "What we're seeing is that with air pollution we're looking at thousands of additional cases of cancer per year in the co...

    Polluted Air Linked to Dangerous Antibiotic Resistance

    Doctors who overprescribe antibiotics are often blamed for medication-resistant illnesses, but new research points to another potential culprit: air pollution.

    Controlling air pollution could reduce antibiotic resistance, greatly reducing deaths and economic costs, according to a new in-depth global analysis were published Aug. 7 in The Lancet Planetary Health..

    “An...

    Quartz Countertops Are Damaging the Lungs of Installers: Study

    Workers making the most popular type of countertop sold in the United States are at risk for potentially deadly lung disease, a new study finds.

    The risk owes to the tiny particles of dust produced while cutting, shaping and polishing the synthetic quartz.

    Inhaling the dust causes the same lung damage, called silicosis, seen for centuries in miners and cutters of natural stone. Engi...

    Hot, Polluted Days May Double Heart Attack Risk

    The extreme heat and choking wildfire smoke blanketing wide swaths of the United States this summer are actively dangerous to heart health, a new study reports.

    Days where soaring heat combines with fine particulate air pollution can double a person's risk of a fatal heart attack, researchers have found.

    “Heat wave exposure interacts synergistically with fine particulate pollution...

    Blood Levels of Vitamin B Amino Acids Linked to Dementia Risk After Air Pollution Exposure

    Scientists have reported a link between air pollution and dementia risk, but they haven't had a good understanding of the mechanisms behind this association. Now, a new study provides some answers.

    “In this study, we found that two types of vitamin B-related amino acids played a role in increasing or decreasing the risk of dementia caused by air pollution,” said

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 21, 2023
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  • Cleanup After Ohio Train Derailment Released Dangerous Gases: Report

    The cleanup of industrial chemicals following a freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, early this year released high levels of some dangerous gases, including acrolein, investigators say.

    The Norfolk Southern freight train was carrying numerous hazardous chemicals. To avoid a catastrophic explosion after the Feb. 3 derailment, authorities opted for a...

    Air Polluted With Wildfire Smoke Can Harm Animals, Too

    The Canadian wildfires that are burning out of control have brought hazy skies and polluted air to parts of the United States unprepared for it -- and that's affecting not just the people, but their pets and livestock, too.

    An animal welfare expert from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers some advice for animal caregivers to help them get their animals through these smoky...

    Once Again, Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Envelops Many American Cities

    For the second time this month, massive plumes of smoke from hundreds of out-of-control Canadian wildfires are polluting much of America's air.

    Among the major U.S. cities now experiencing poor air quality are St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Chicago, while entire states have also issued air quality alerts, according to the

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 29, 2023
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  • Protect Your Kids in Blistering Summer Heat

    Enjoy that summer sun, but keep some safety tips in mind, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents.

    “It's great to see children enjoying nature and reaping the benefits of outdoor activities,” Atlanta-based pediatrician Dr. Rebecca Philipsborn said in an AAP ne...

    Wildfire Smoke Could Cause More Than 9,000 U.S. Deaths Each Year

    Clouds of smoke continue to drift over the Eastern United States and Europe from wildfires in Canada, and experts are predicting a longer and more destructive wildfire season due to rising temperatures and drier conditions.

    Now, new research puts a numbe...

    Experts Warn of Heart Dangers From Smoke of Canadian Wildfires

    As a huge plume of smoke from over 400 Canadian wildfires swept south and turned New York City into a landscape that resembled Mars more than Earth, heart experts warned that air pollution can damage your heart as much as it damages your lungs.

    It's obvious that wildfires can affect breathing and respiratory health, but exposure to this smoke can also cause or worsen heart problems, the ...

    Move to 'Zero-Emission' Vehicles Would Save 90,000 U.S. Lives by 2050

    Consider yourself a lifesaver if you opt for an electric vehicle next time you buy or lease a new car.

    Electric cars can save millions of lives and reduce health care costs by improving air quality so people can breathe better and freer, according to a new report by the American Lung Association. Zero-emission electric vehicles don't emit exhaust gas or other pollutants into the atmospher...

    Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blackens Skies, Prompts Air Quality Alerts in Much of U.S.

    Wildfires that have been spreading throughout Canada in recent weeks are now spewing tons of smoke southward into the United States.

    The smoke was so thick on Tuesday that New York City's skyline could not be seen clearly and air quality alerts were issued to residents from parts of the N...

    Nova Scotia Wildfires Sending Unhealthy 'Smoke Plume' to U.S. Northeast

    Large, uncontrolled wildfires in Nova Scotia are creating unhealthy air in the Northeast region of the United States, including parts of Connecticut.

    This significant smoke plume is likely to cause elevated levels of fine particulate matter, the American Lung Association warned in its alert. Particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can ...

    Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Triggers Air Alerts in Colorado, Montana

    Two western U.S. states issued air quality alerts over the weekend as heavy smoke from fires blazing in Canada drifted south.

    Both Colorado and Montana experienced air quality issues because of dozens of Canadian fires. A third state, Utah, noted that it was beginning to see smoke, while Idaho had experienced haze last week, the Associated Press reported.

    “People with hea...

    Toxins From Grilling, Smoking & Car Exhaust Could Raise Odds for Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.

    These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, oil, gas, wood or tobacco burn. Flame grilling of meat and other foods also contribute to PAH formation, the researchers ...

    Dirty Air & Lung Cancer: Detroit Study Shows How Your Neighborhood Matters

    Does where you live affect your risk for lung cancer? Just possibly, experts warn.

    Although cigarette smoking is the principal cause of most lung cancers, new research has found evidence that Americans who live in areas where air quality is poor may be at greater risk...

    Oil & Gas Production Takes Toll in U.S. Lives, Health Costs

    Pollutants produced by the U.S. oil and gas industry cause thousands of deaths and cost the country tens of billions in health care expenses, a new study reports.

    Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter and ozone all contribute to air pollution, and all are emitted as part of oil and gas production, the researchers said.

    The new study estimates that the oil and gas industry ...

    Do You Live in One of America's Worst Cities for Dirty Air?

    Nearly one-third of Americans live in counties with unhealthy air, according to a new report from the American Lung Association.

    One in three, or 120 million, people lives with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, the “State of the Air” report says.

    While air quality has improved overall, there are major differences between Eastern and Western states and in air poll...

    EPA Wants to Accelerate U.S. Sales of Electric Vehicles, Boosting Air Quality

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to put the pedal to the metal in America's transition to clean electric vehicles.

    The EPA today announced proposed federal emissions standards aimed at accelerating the move to electric cars and trucks.

    Once adopted, the standards are expected to create a massive improvement in air pollution across the nation, particularly in smog-choke...

    EPA Proposes Limits on Dangerous Chemical Used by Medical Sterilization Plants

    The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the use of a chemical used to clean medical equipment in sterilizing plants because it also raises cancer risks for workers.

    The agency plans to slash emissions of the odorless gas, called ethylene oxide, by about 80% at 86 medical sterilization facilities.

    “EPA's number one priority is protecting people's health and...

    Shutting Down Nuclear Plants Could Cost Thousands of U.S. Lives as Pollutants Rise

    Even as many U.S. nuclear reactors reach the end of their estimated life spans, the country still gets nearly 20% of its power from these sites.

    Now, new research claims that shutting them down could increase air pollution and cause more deaths because while nuclear power plants are considered relatively clean energy, many potential replacement sources for nuclear power are not.

    P...

    Dirty Air Could Raise Your Odds for Dementia

    Exposure to air pollution may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a review of prior research.

    The new Harvard study is the latest look at a host of health issues — from dementia to heart disease and stroke — linked to pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide.

    The findings support the need to streng...

    Black Americans Would Reap Biggest Health Boon From Cleaner Air

    While all Americans could benefit from proposed new limits on what's called PM2.5 air pollution, new research indicates the change has the potential to benefit Black and low-income Americans the most.

    The limits being considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could cut death rates in those more vulnerable groups by up to 7%, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. C...

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