Beyond BMI: Waist size can show who is most at risk from air pollution
Ultrafine particulate air pollution floats through the air like a miasma, leaving heart disease, dementia and asthma in its wake. But ultrafine pollution doesn't affect everyone equally. Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Tufts University report on July 28 in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology that a larger waist—indicating more fat around the organs—makes people more…
Ultrafine particulate air pollution poses risks that differ among individuals. Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Tufts University found that a larger waist size, indicating more fat around vital organs, makes people more vulnerable to its harmful effects. This ultrafine matter, smaller than one-thousandth the width of a human hair, can enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, high blood pressure, and respiratory illnesses.
The study included 116 participants who used either a HEPA filter or a sham filter for 30 days, then switched. While the initial results showed no difference, HEPA filtration proved beneficial for those with excessive visceral fat, as determined by waist measurements rather than BMI. HEPA filters showed a significant difference in lowering IL-1 beta-associated inflammation, a key factor in cardiovascular disease, dementia, and other circulatory and metabolic system disorders.
The study suggests that individuals with excessive visceral fat may benefit more from HEPA filters, but commercial filters can be costly. Ongoing trials are testing affordable homemade air filters as a potential solution.
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