- It would confirm that cities with higher levels of air pollution tend to have higher levels of crime, regardless of parameters such as population size, number of police officers, gender or race distribution or the average age of the population….
- Madrid leads the way for its low air quality indices. Cities such as Barcelona, Zaragoza, Valencia, Seville or Valladolid have also suffered from this problem in anticyclonic or drought periods.
- Pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide each year. Reproductive, respiratory, cardiovascular or mental problems as a consequence of air pollution.
Barcelona, 03 July 2018. Summer anticyclones and climatological stability cause pollution levels to soar. However, pollution has become a constant concern throughout the year in large cities, with Madrid leading our country in low air quality, frequently exceeding the limits and guidelines established by the WHO at European level. However, it is not the only one. Last November, as a result of the long period of drought in Spain, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Valencia, Seville and Valladolid exceeded the nitrogen dioxide indexes, set at a limit of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.
Air quality is not only an environmental problem that produces an imbalance in our planet, but also has a direct impact on the health of its inhabitants. And the most recent studies add possible new consequences to the list. The latest Columbia Business School studies published in the journal Psychological Science confirm once again the direct relationship between pollution and unethical behavior such as crime or deception. The WHO puts the number of pollution-related deaths at 7 million per year. Now it could also modify behavior, which in turn brings further consequences in other areas.
The study concludes that cities with higher levels of air pollution tend to have higher levels of crime. Dr. Alberto García Valdés, Head of Endocrinology and Nutrition at Hospital San Francisco de Asís and member of Top Doctors.es®, explains. This is due to the increase in anxiety produced by pollution, he points out. Stress is the way living beings respond to adapt to the changing conditions of the environment and puts us on alert in the face of danger. When our capacity of response or resistance is overcome by the persistence or intensity of the aggression, a chronic state of neuroendocrinological defense is produced and a subsequent exhaustion that gives rise to many mental or psychological illnesses. Environmental pollution, as a sustained form of stressful situation, decreases concentration, increases anxiety and depression disorders, makes people more irritable or aggressive, produces sleep disorders and other types of mental health disorders.
This study, which has been carried out through different tests and experiments, would confirm that this relationship is maintained in cities with higher crime regardless of other parameters such as the total population of the city, the number of police officers, the average age of the population, the distribution of gender or race, poverty rate, unemployment rate or socioeconomic conditions of the population. Pollution is one of the great plagues of the 21st century. Introducing large quantities of foreign elements into a given environment produces serious problems in the balance of natural systems and it is not at all strange that the frequency of aggression, theft or other types of crime increases, adds the doctor.
All of the conditions resulting from atmospheric contamination
The experts of Top Doctors.es®, an online platform to find and contact the best medical specialists in private healthcare, audited and certified by the most rigorous selection process of doctors in the world, make an analysis of the diseases that arise from the relationship between air quality and the appearance of pathologies. Children, pregnant women, people over 65 years of age and the chronically ill are those who suffer most from the consequences of pollution. The main pathologies resulting from high pollution levels are:
- Respiratory diseases: more and more people are developing chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, a disease that affects around 3 million people in Spain, especially children (up to 20%). Air pollution causes 36% of deaths from lung cancer.
- Cardiovascular diseases: According to data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution, airborne particles penetrate the cardiovascular system, hardening the arteries and triggering heart attacks. The WHO assures that pollution causes 24% of the deaths of adults with heart disease.
- Mental illnesses: continuous exposure of children and adolescents to pollutants is sometimes associated with hyperactivity and attention deficit problems, according to a study conducted by ISGlobal together with German centers. It also reduces mental faculties, being a precursor of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies link anxiety and depression problems to this harmful factor.
- Fertility problems: A study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility links fertility problems in both men and women to high pollution levels, as well as their association with an increased risk of miscarriage.
Tips for reducing air pollution exposure
To avoid overexposure to air pollution on high-risk days, Top Doctors’ experts advise taking a series of basic measures:
- Avoid walking during rush hour: it is advisable not to do physical exercise during peak hours (11.00h and 18.00h, times when pollution indices have their highest peak). And if you do, try to walk in green areas with fewer traffic problems.
- Take care of hygiene. It is important to take rigorous hygiene measures for both the home and our skin. Showering with hot water helps the steam to clean the lungs. Also, keep in mind that inside the home we must also take certain measures such as washing the carpets or covers of the armchairs or mattress, as well as cleaning floors and dust frequently is an advisable measure during the times of the year with higher pollution. Experts also recommend changing clothes when you get home.
- Balanced diet: eating a proper diet is key to maintaining the immune system. Experts recommend foods rich in antioxidants such as garlic, grapefruit, broccoli, onion or fruits with peel.