ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Microplastics and chemical pollutants for the first time enter the European guidelines as risk factors for the heart, causing in the world every year 5,500,000 deaths. This was discussed at the international conference “Respirami” in recent days in Milan. “In recent years we have focused on the effects of air pollution in their various components, respiratory, cardiovascular health and also of our entire organism. More recently we discovered that other environmental factors such as noises, sounds and lights can have a negative effect both on the cardiovascular system as reported by the new European guidelines, both at the level of the circadian rhythms that influence the sleep-wake rhythm and therefore also on the endocrine aspects, such as diabetes”, explained Professor Sergio Harari at Tg2 Medicina 33, airing on Rai2. For Professor Stefano Del Prato, president Fondazione Menarini and professor emeritus of Endocrinology of the University of Pisa, “polluting and diabetes would seem distant, but they are not. The pollutants, in general, involve an alteration of our organism with an increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, all elements that we know are the basis of the main mechanisms that lead to diabetes.” Among the risk factors there are noise and too much light, added Harari. “The new studies that have been presented at this conference have highlighted how noise on one side (which however has mechanisms in which the organism disturbs) and light on the other (which alters sleep-wake rhythms and the state of attention we have) significantly influence various aspects of our organism. For example, psychological, behavioral, cognitive aspects, learning aspects in children, or in some way can accelerate or worsen diseases such as senile dementia, such as Alzheimer’s.” For Del Prato, light pollution can also affect obesity. “We have recent data that suggests that exposure to light, especially to artificial light and especially at night, favor the increase of obesity” and also “an unfulfilled diet: just think of “snacking”, to that continuous “spizzicare” and therefore a contribution of calories”, an aspect that also concerns younger subjects, exposed for many hours in light of screens. “ Recent data show that exposure to intense light for a sufficient period can lead to an increase of about 20% of the risk of obesity.”
-photo press office Fondazione Menarini –
(ITALPRESS)
Del Prato (Menarini Foundation) “Health at risk for environmental pollutants”
