New Study On Ozone Exposure

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There is no doubt that we can see the impact of pollution, but it is probably most evident when you are on the highway on a cloudy day.

A new study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care found long-term exposure to ground-level ozone is associated with an increased risk of death, especially death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. The lung issues make sense but the connection to diabetes raises some concerns.

The analysis of data from nearly 670,000 participants in a nationwide cancer prevention study suggested that every additional 10 parts per billion (ppb), of long-term ground-level ozone exposure, increased the risk of dying from diabetes by 16 percent. Researchers are looking at the reasons for association.