A recent study on all Danish residents over the age of 30 found that long-term exposure to air pollution was linked to the onset of more than 700 health conditions, according to a recent paper published in BMJ. In short:These 700+ conditions account for more than 80% of the reported illnesses in the Danish population. Of the conditions studied, air pollution had the strongest association with chronic pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The study also linked air pollution to conditions that have not previously been tied to pollution exposure, like cataracts, hearing loss, and urinary tract infections. While many of the negative effects of air pollution are well established, the results of this study suggest that air pollution has a much more extensive impact on health than previously understood – even at relatively low levels of exposure.
