Three recent studies have demonstrated that breathing polluted air has significant negative effects, including a shorter lifespan, greater risk of dementia, and diminished cognitive capacity.

Life ExpectancyAirborne PM(Particulate Matter)2.5 is material less than 2.5 micrometers, which can be seen only with electron microscopes. Being so small, they can travel deeply into our lungs with quite harmful effects. They are produced from car & truck exhausts, industrial plants include coal-fired powerplants, and also include dust produced by windstorms. Averaged across the globe, breathing them typically cuts up to a year off lifespans, and in areas of greater pollution, up to two years.

Here are three links to media articles on the work:

Air pollution reduces global life expectancy by more than one year

Air pollution is shaving a year off our average life expectancy

Lowering air pollution just a bit would increase life expectancy as much as eradicating lung and breast cancer

Here is the research publication:

Ambient PM2.5 Reduces Global and Regional Life Expectancy

These links have been added to Aging

Dementia Risk

This study involved a sample of 130,978 adults living in London between 2005 and 2013. The participants were between 50 and 79 years old. Broadly, even after making adjustments for factors such as smoking and social status/class, those from the most polluted areas of London were much more at risk of dementia (40% more) than those from the least polluted areas.

Here are two links to media articles on the research:

Is air pollution tied to higher dementia risk?

Air pollution linked to much greater risk of dementia

Here is the research publication:

Are noise and air pollution related to the incidence of dementia? A cohort study in London, England

Diminished Cognitive CapacityLiving with air pollution very likely reduces your intelligence, as measured by test scores for arithmetic and language. The effect can, on average, be as if one had lost a year of education. For people over 64, for men, and for those with lower education, the effect can be even greater.

An international research team carried out the research in China using 20,000 people, between 2010 and 2014. People who were exposed longer to polluted air had greater damage to their intelligence. Language ability was hurt more than mathematical ability, and men were harmed more than women.

Here are three links to media articles on the research work:



Air Pollution Exposure Harms Cognitive Performance, Study Finds

Study shows air pollution may be causing cognitive decline in people

Here is the research publication:

The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance

The last two groups of links have been added to Alzheimer’s > Risk Factors