The Fountain Of Youth Gets A Run For Its Money

            A new study led by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) shows that the life expectancy in the United States from the years 2000-2007 has improved in 545 counties. In this time duration, the life expectancy in these counties increased 0.35 years. So what’s to thank for this increase in life-expectancy? According to research, it may be the environmental laws and regulations put in to place that is responsible for the research found in this study.

             According to lead author of the study, Dr. Andrew Correia, “Despite the fact that the U.S. population as a whole is exposed to much lower levels of air pollution than 30 years ago—because of great strides made to reduce people’s exposure—it appears that further reductions in air pollution levels would continue to benefit public health.” This study in particular focused on the effect on health due to fine particulate matter. There have been other studies done that show associations between chronic and acute exposure to fine particulate air pollution, cardiopulmonary disease and death, so this study helps show the importance of continuing to decrease this pollution in our society. Past studies have also shown that reducing air pollution can also reduce health effects and increase life expectancy, just as this study has justified as well.

            So with laws and regulations on air quality control in place, and hopefully more to come, it will be interesting to see if this increase in life expectancy continues to grow and have a direct correlation with the amount of air pollution in our society. Though there are skeptics of this idea, if people want to help reduce air pollution for a reason other than a 0.35 year increase in life expectancy, maybe they can do it for planet earth, and the future generations that will occupy it.

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Improvements In Air Quality Add Years To Life Expectancy In U.S

Harvard School of Public Health