Many of you are probably aware of the several health risks caused by pollution. The list is a long one and it includes lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, and bronchitis. However, did you know that it can lead to obesity? In specific, rats that have been breathing the polluted air of Beijing.
FIRST FACT: THE TEST RESULTS FROM A NEW STUDY
The Chinese government funded a recent study, that was performed by the University of Duke, and the study showed how the rats in Beijing are gaining weight from the pollution. The researchers of the study tested a bunch of rats in which one group was exposed to the pollution in Beijing, and the other was living in filtered air. Only 19 days past, and the researchers found that the cholesterol levels of the exposed rats was 97 percent higher than those who weren’t. Not only this but those same rats gained 15 percent more weight than the others.
SECOND FACT: WHY THIS IS HAPPENING
The authors of the study explained how these findings were consistent with previous ones. They mention how this study shows that air pollution induces the inflammation and stress in the circulatory system. This fully explains why the pollution from Beijing was making the rats significantly fatter. It makes a lot of sense, but it is still a little startling that it does.
THIRD FACT: IT LEADS TO OBESITY
If there are any people out there who are still skeptical about pollution increasing obesity levels, you need to hear this. One of the researchers of the study, Junfeng Zhang, mentioned in a statement that this study provides clear evidence that exposure to air pollution will increase the obesity possibility. There is no need to question this anymore, and there should be no doubt at all that this is true. There is now a new reason to stop it.
