Short Sharp Science
4 January 2017
Living near a highway may increase dementia risk by 7 per cent
By New Scientist staff and Press Association
Living close to a motorway or highway may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a study of more than six million adults in Canada.
Tracking these people over a period of 11 years found a clear link between dementia incidence and living near a main road, comparable to the M1 or M4 in the UK, or major state or interstate highways in the US. Compared with those whose homes were more than 300 metres away from a busy road, people living within 50 metres of heavy traffic had a 7 per cent higher risk of developing dementia.
This increase falls to 4 per cent in people living between 50 to 100 metres of a busy road, and 2 per cent in people living between 101 and 200 metres. At greater distances, there was no evidence of a link with the condition...
4 January 2017
Living near a highway may increase dementia risk by 7 per cent
By New Scientist staff and Press Association
Living close to a motorway or highway may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a study of more than six million adults in Canada.
Tracking these people over a period of 11 years found a clear link between dementia incidence and living near a main road, comparable to the M1 or M4 in the UK, or major state or interstate highways in the US. Compared with those whose homes were more than 300 metres away from a busy road, people living within 50 metres of heavy traffic had a 7 per cent higher risk of developing dementia.
This increase falls to 4 per cent in people living between 50 to 100 metres of a busy road, and 2 per cent in people living between 101 and 200 metres. At greater distances, there was no evidence of a link with the condition...
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