Essay on Ambient Air Pollution and Diabetes Mellitus

I. Introduction and Purpose Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a disorder in which the body is incapable of fully utilizing converted energy taken from food. There are three types of diabetes: type 1 or insulin-dependent, type 2 or adult on-set, and gestational diabetes (Webmd.com, 2014). According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2011 there were approximately 25.8 million cases of diabetes in the United States, 7 million of which were undiagnosed, and an estimated 79 million cases of prediabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2014). They also report that diagnosed cases of diabetes cost the United States nearly $250 billion in 2012 (American Diabetes Association, 2014). With such a high prevalence of cases as†¦show more content†¦Search criteria were limited to â€Å"air pollution† and â€Å"diabetes mellitus.† All original study reports as well as study reviews were garnered in this manner. Basic factual and statistical information about diabetes was found on the WebMD and American Diabetes Association websites. III. Studies Three studies found evidence supporting a link between diabetes risk and elevated levels of air pollution (Chen Burnett et al., 2013; Pearson Bachireddy et al., 2010; Xu Liu et al., 2011). Xu Liu et al. utilized an experimental design in which they studied the effect of elevated particulate matter (PM2.5) in mice and their corresponding blood glucose and insulin measures. Pearson Bachireddy et al. and Chen Burnett et al. both conducted epidemiological studies in which they looked at diabetes prevalence in the United States and Canada, respectively, and compared the data against air particulate matter levels. In the study conducted by Xu Liu et al., four-week-old, male mice were randomly assigned into one of two groups: a control group and an experimental group. Both groups were fed identical diets and treated in identical manners. The control group, referred to as FA, was exposed to filtered air for six hours a day, five days a week for a total of 30 hours. The experimental group, referred to as PM2.5, was exposed to air containing elevated PM2.5 in the same manner for a total of 30 hours a week. For PM2.5,Show MoreRelatedTo humans, having a healthy immune system is essential. Our immune system is important because it900 Words   |  4 Pagesimmune system. Air pollution, which is one of the major environmental issues, can cause several health risks. Exposure to air pollutants can have a high possibility of resulting in long term effects on people as well as shutting down the immune system. Therefore, the pollution in the air can affect the immune system by weakening it and making i t much more vulnerable to foreign invaders, illnesses, harmful bacteria, and viruses. There are several kinds of toxins and pollutants in the air, which contributeRead MoreThe Health Impacts Of Long Term Exposure Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pagesexposure to PM2.5 in Delhi. Several possible self-protective solutions for people in Delhi will be discussed. Researches are done by critically comparing, summarizing and analyzing the data from academic articles. Delhi pollution control committee is proposed to be our client. The ambient PM2.5 in Delhi is 15 times higher than the WHO guidelines, which is identified as the most significant pollutants threatening the public health. These fine and condensed particles affect the respiratory and cardiovascular