If you are an adult and happen to live near traffic areas emitting high air-pollution—fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – then most chances are that you face the higher risk of having at least neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular and common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Published in journal Frontiers in Public Health, a largest study worldwide said that those participants exposed to higher concentrations (above 10µg/m3) of fine particulate matter had a 21 per cent increased risk of two or more co-occurring conditions compared to those exposed to concentrations below 10µg/m3.
For participants exposed to above 30µg/m3 of NO2 the research showed a 20 per cent increased risk of having two or more co-occurring conditions compared to those participants that were exposed to concentrations of NO2 below 20µg/m3.
The study was conducted on more than 364,000 people. “The strongest associations were observed for co-occurring neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular and common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety,” said the study led by researchers from Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London.