A new study links air pollution to dementia

Health concerns

If you thought this wouldn’t affect you as someone who lives farther away from a busy highway or industrial facility, you may be in for a spooky surprise. The pollutants mentioned in the study are fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) “which are associated with accelerated age-related cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD),” according to the study authors from UCSD’s Department of Psychiatry. departments of aging.

They looked at 1,100 men between the ages of 56 and 68 and saw a decline in cognitive performance associated with increased exposure to the pollutants studied, in particular concluding that “the risk of cognitive decline later in life or progression to dementia may begin in middle age.” In other words, the environmental factors in your home and neighbors now can contribute to devastating health effects later.

Fine particles

High particulate matter levels can be a health and safety factor in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, our indoor air pollution can be up to five times more polluted than the air we breathe outdoors. “Inner PM can be created through cooking, combustion activities (including burning candles, using stoves, using space heaters or kerosene heaters, and smoking cigarettes) and certain hobbies.”

Outside sources entering our homes can include automobile and industrial air pollution, as well as smoke and ash from wildfires, which can spread thousands of miles beyond the flames.

In addition to the risk of dementia, PM can worsen heart and lung disease and irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.

Nitrogen dioxide

Nitrogen dioxide can also originate inside your home. The National Institutes of Health shared on its website: “The most important indoor sources include tobacco smoke, gas — wood — oil — kerosene — and coal-burning appliances such as stoves, furnaces, space and water heaters, and space heaters, especially appliances that are not submerged or that are poorly maintained.”

Outdoor sources that can easily enter your home include nitrogen dioxide from gas-powered vehicles, lawn and garden equipment, and construction sites, all of which can be as close as the yard or property line outside your window.

In addition to the risk of dementia, nitrogen dioxide can worsen respiratory problems, especially among asthmatics, and can contribute to asthma and has been linked to learning disabilities in children and Parkinson’s disease in other studies.

Wellness planning strategies

Architects, interior designers, and remodeling professionals look into these issues when they undertake residential projects. San Francisco-based Daniel Ian Smith must address wildfire considerations for his Bay Area clients, along with other factors that contribute to a healthier and safer urban home. “For comprehensive renovations to the San Francisco Victorians, new HVAC systems with HEPA filtration are a no-brainer. However, for even the simplest design projects, we still plan for stand-alone air purifiers in every bedroom and living room. They are invaluable during fire season,” But there is growing evidence that they are just as valuable as removing common indoor pollutants all year long,” he commented in a design industry Facebook group discussion. All of these solutions he cites can address the dangers of fine particles.

Smith has also noted the effects of California phasing out gas appliances in new construction homes as customers become more aware of indoor pollutants. “Coupled with discussion at the federal level, the concern has spread all the way to our East Coast customers.” He noted that although gas has long been the gold standard for cooking, induction is proving to be an attractive alternative for his customers. This can help eliminate the cause of the nitrogen dioxide exposure.

Architecture firm Mithuen, with offices in San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles, frequently works on large-scale mixed-use and multi-family projects. Director Hilary Knoll noted that recent California and Bay Area codes now require improved ventilation and filtration systems, and other proactive measures for buildings within target areas with poor air quality. “Many of our multi-family housing projects have installed MERV 13 before this was a code requirement,” she shared in an email.

Another strategy we use is to incorporate heat or energy recovery ventilation systems (HRVs or ERVs) that supply continuous, filtered fresh air while moderating intake air with exhaust to improve indoor thermal comfort as well as indoor air quality. They are installed in every residential unit, in excess of Energy Code compliance.”

Noll also commented on the elimination of natural gas within building systems and appliances in favor of electrification, which she points to as “another proven strategy for improving indoor air quality especially pollutants associated with fossil fuel combustion including nitrogen dioxide”.

Wellness maintenance strategies

Kim Levell designs for homeowners in Tampa and Chapel Hill, North Carolina and suggested clean building practices and non-toxic materials in another designer group discussion on Facebook. “I have air cleaners that I recommend. Chemical cleaning agents, forever chemicals, poor water, things like PFAs, use of toxins are everywhere. Off-gassing on furniture and building products worries me more than a properly vented gas range,” she added. .

Studies have shown that many homeowners do not use their kitchen ventilation fans because they are noisy and ineffective, so there are gas stoves that should be properly ventilated, but are not. In addition, some fans that can more or less be described as “running” only recycle the air in the room.

When replacing appliances with a design specialist like Levell or Smith as part of a new build or remodel, you’ll get advice on which quiet models are right for your cooktop. When simply replacing appliances at a retailer, be sure to ask about pairing your new (or existing) cooktop or stove with an appropriately sized, rated model that will keep your kitchen cleaner and safer. In addition to enjoying the benefits of a healthier, more comfortable home today, it can contribute to your health in the years ahead as well.

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