14 DAY TRIAL // A study published in yesterday's issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives argues that exposure to second-hand smoke and air pollution resulting from heavy traffic makes people put on weight.
Otherwise put, it appears that, the more second-hand smoke and traffic air pollution a person breathes in, the more likely they are to become overweight, even obese, researchers with the University of Southern California in the US explain.
How second-hand smoke and pollution affect weight
As detailed in the journal Environmental Health and Perspectives, the link between weight gain and second-hand smoke and traffic air pollution has until now only been documented in children and adolescents.
Thus, researchers say that, having kept tabs on the overall health condition of about 3,000 children for a period of time of 8 years, they found that those who were exposed to second-hand smoke and pollution resulting from traffic while still in the womb were more likely to gain weight.
At the beginning of the study, the children were 10 years old. By the time they turned 18, those who experienced exposure to traffic air pollution and second-hand smoke before being born were plumper than the ones whose mother lived in a cleaner environment during pregnancy.
“The potential for near-roadway air pollution to be among several factors contributing to the epidemic of obesity merits further investigation,” researcher Rob McConnell commented on these findings in a statement, as cited by Medical Express.
“Vehicle miles traveled, exposure to some components of the near-roadway air pollutant mixture, and near roadway residential development have increased across the United States over the last several decades corresponding to the epidemic of childhood obesity,” he added.
Childhood obesity is a major issue in the US
Specialist Rob McConnell and fellow University of Southern California researchers say that, according to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity rates in the US have doubled over the last 3 decades. Besides, the country is home to four times more obese adolescents than it was just 30 years ago.
Much like adults who pack too much weight for their own good, kids and teenagers who grow to become obese are more vulnerable to health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and bone and joint problems.
Besides, many of them experience social stigmatization and end up developing self-esteem problems as a result. Simply put, obesity can take its toll on both a child's overall health condition and on their psychological wellbeing, the researchers explain in their paper.
If it is indeed true that exposure to second-hand smoke and traffic air pollution while still in the womb makes an individual more likely to become obese, it's important that further efforts be made to improve on air quality all across the country.
“Further research is needed to determine if our findings can be replicated in other populations and to assess both the potential contribution of combustion sources to the epidemic of obesity and the potential impact of interventions to reduce exposure,” said Rob McDonnell.
