A new study of the Faculty of Public Health of the University of Georgia focuses on the powerful role that our environment plays on the configuration of the dementia risk. Directed by the Assistant Health Policy and Management Professor of the Suhang’s song, this meta -analysis demonstrates that the factors that include air pollution and access to green or blue spaces can significantly increase or reduce the probabilities of cognitive impairment and develop dementia.
“These numbers show that living in a friendly environment with dementia is important to delay or prevent cognitive deterioration and the beginning of dementia,” Song said.
The realization of meta -analysis was important, like several empirical studies to create a clearer image about environmental risk, Song said. The investigation combined 54 studies in a systematic review and 21 in meta -analysis, allowing researchers to quantify the impact of several factors.
Although the previous investigations have demonstrated the association between environmental factors and the risk of dementia, Song said it was worth noting the contributions of some factors.
Environmental factors could increase the risk of dementia by 10%
Living near the main roads was associated with a risk of approximately 10% higher dementia, and exposure to fine particles in the air, something that generates vehicles and industrial emissions, was associated with a 9% increase in risk. Nitrous oxide increased the risk by 10%, and it was shown that noise pollution increases risk by approximately 9%.
Alternatively, some built environments help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. Green and blue spaces, which include constructed and natural parks, as well as bodies of water, reduced risk by approximately 6%. The transmission capacity in a community, as well as access to local services, including food stores, community centers and medical care, also reduced the risk.
“According to these findings, we can suggest that people visit parks or forests more frequently and also live further from the main roads,” Song said. “In addition, living in a community where there is more walking capacity or being close to local comforts such as bookstores, medical care centers and more is useful.”
IMPROVEMENT OF URBAN PLANNING
These data can help inform urban planning efforts in the future to create more communities that foster cognitive health, Song said.
“The greatest advantage of this document is to quantify the association between certain factors and cognitive health,” Song said. “This analysis can provide evidence for urban data planning and support for support decision makers.”
Summarize the objective measurements of environmental factors for future investigations
This systematic review and meta -analysis focused on studies that use environmental factors objectively measured, which can reduce the bias associated with subjective measures, such as perceptions of air quality or individual reports of the green space and the beauty of an area. These self -informed data instances can sometimes limit the reliability of the conclusions of a study.
Song expects this study to serve as a basis for future investigations, encouraging researchers to prioritize objective measurements in the investigation of environmental influences in the risk of cognition and dementia.