Exposure to Air Pollution Causes Your Lungs to Age Faster and Increases Lung Disease Risk

Analyzing Effect of Outdoor Pollution On Lung Function

• The study analyzed data of over 300,000 persons enrolled in the UK Biobank study to determine whether exposure to external air pollution affected lung function and increased risk of development of COPD, especially as there is very little research regarding how air pollution influences lung function
• The team studied included various pollutants including particulate matter (PM₁₀), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), released by vehicle emissions, power plants, burning fossil fuels and industrial emissions
• The team measured the level of indoor pollution in the homes of the participants using validated methods
• The age, sex, body mass index (BMI), educational qualifications, smoking status, income from occupation and exposure to second-hand smoke of the participants were taken into account before the final analysis
• In addition, the research team checked if occupations linked to a higher risk of COPD influenced the outcome
• Study volunteers responded to detailed health questionnaires and their lung function was assessed by spirometry tests done by health professionals at the UK Biobank centers between 2006 and 2010 at the time of enrollment

• For each yearly average, increase in exposure by 5 mcg/cubic meter of indoor pollution, the accompanying loss of lung function was similar to that caused by two years of aging of lung tissue
• COPD prevalence was four times more in persons living in areas with PM_2.5 levels above World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for annual average exposure of 10 mcg/cubic meter (10 μg, than people exposed to second-hand smoke at home, and half of that compared to persons who were smokers