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Pollution may trigger diabetes: scientists
Environmental pollution may trigger diabetes, scientists suspect in the United States.
- IANS
- Published: 00:11 January 28, 2008
New York: Environmental pollution may trigger diabetes, scientists suspect in the United States.
In the commentary published in the Lancet, Cambridge scientists Oliver Jones and Julian Griffin highlighted the need to research the possible link between certain pollutants and diabetes.
Past research had found individuals are more at risk of diabetes if they are thin with high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in their blood than if they are overweight but with low levels of POPs, scientists said.
POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods and are considered as toxic to humans and wildlife.
The POPs came into prominence as effective pesticides with the introduction of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) one of the best-known synthetic pesticides in the 1940s.
However, many of these chemicals, including DDT, fell out of favour after they were blamed for the declining number of wild birds and other animals and the possible negative human health effects.
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