Autism, Obesity, Heart Disease and Pollution...The Connection

It's not a giant step of logic to connect exposure to pollutants with resulting illnesses. Now, Marc Weisskopf and his team of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that early-life exposure to pollution, including diesel particulates, mercury and lead, could contribute to a higher risk of autism disorders.

Data analyzed from a nationwide sample of 116,430 nurses participating in the Nurses' Health Study 2, on-going since 1989, showed that of the 325 who had children with autism, most lived in areas with higher levels of pollutants and those who had children not affected by autism.

A current study, published on-line in the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, included a broader based geographical area in which the scientists surveyed pollution exposure (levels which were measured by the EPA) to women who were pregnant and autism rates across the entire U.S. Expectant mothers who lived in the 20% of locations around the country with the highest pollution levels in the form of diesel particulates or mercury, were two times as likely to have a child with autism compared with those who lived in the 20% of locations with the lowest levels of pollution. Women who lived in the 20% of areas with the highest levels of other pollutants, like lead, manganese, methylene chloride and other metals, were nearly 50% more likely to have a child with autism.

It would seem expedient for obgyns to begin measuring for the presence of these chemicals in the blood of pregnant women or newborns in light of this extraordinary findings. We need to begin unraveling the cause of the explosive increase in the incidence of autism in this country. It would be interesting to see if children in non-industrialized nations show a different incidence of this developmental disorder.

We also know that there is a direct connection between air pollution and weight gain in children of mothers who smoke or live in areas that expose them to car exhaust (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Children born to mothers with the highest PAH levels during their third trimester had a 79% greater risk of becoming obese. By the time the children turned 7, their risk increased to 225%, probably because of growth hormone disruption caused by PAH.

We know that toxic pollutants cause blood vessels to contract and harden prematurely, perhaps in an effort to protect the tissues from excess chemical exposure. This is supported by some studies that have linked exposure to air pollution with hardening of the arteries and an increased risk of heart disease. This may be the etiology of autism; it just isn't known at this time exactly what causes autism but we can see what role pollutants play in this disorder. I just hope the medical community is listening. The quality of life of our children depends upon it.

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