It is time to realize that air pollution is becoming one of the most harmful substances in the world. Just recently, I wrote about how pollution was leading to obesity levels increasing. Now, it seems like pollution is doing more than making people fat. A science writer at the University of Duke, Aaron Reuben, is exploring the thought that dementia can be linked to pollution. This seems like a surreal possibility, but this is not stopping him from diving into the subject. He recently took part in an interview, and he talked about some very interesting facts on this.
FIRST FACT: HOW THIS IS LINKED
Reuben was asked the question of how dementia and pollution are linked to each other. He responded by saying there are two branches of science to look at. Firstly, people in the older age range are studied over a matter of time. There health outcomes of possible exposures need to be mapped out and analyzed. He then said that once you take the time to do this, you will realize that people who are exposed to pollution have a higher risk of dementia. The major thing he did say is it is mostly the fault of the fine particles in the air.
SECOND FACT: HOW CERTAIN THE EVIDENCE IS
When asked how convincing the evidence for this was, Reuben had a great response. The question was linked to if the evidence compares to the fact that smoking causes lung cancer. To put in simply, he said they are not at that level of evidence yet. However, he did remind people that it took the world decades before people realized that cigarettes cause cancer. The research may take a long time, but people can’t expect that it will instantly be proven a fact. Once the proper research is done, people will be able to say this in a bold statement.
