According to a study published in Diabetes Care, air pollution negatively impacted a womans weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat levels. For the study, 1,654 white, black, Chinese, and Japanese women who previously participated in the Study of Women′s Health provided data.

The study conducted at the University of Michigan revealed that women in their late 40s and early 50s exposed to air pollution for a long duration, especially higher levels of fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone, showed an increase in their body size and composition measurements.

The study also showed that in women in their midlife, exposure to air pollution was associated with reduced lean mass, higher body fat, and higher proportions of fat. For instance, body weight increased by 2.6 pounds, or they had 4.5% more body fat.

The researchers also found that high levels of physical activity were an efficient approach to reducing and counteracting exposure to air pollution. 

(Source: https://nepalnews.com/s/health/air-pollution-shifts-the-scales-in-favor-of-female-obesity )