Pollution wipes out the benefits of exercise, study suggests

Pollution wipes out the benefits of walking, a new study suggests. Researchers from Imperial College London found that the toxic air in built-up city centres prevents the positive effects on the lungs and heart […]

Pollution wipes out the benefits of walking, a new study suggests. Researchers from Imperial College London found that the toxic air in built-up city centres prevents the positive effects on the lungs and heart which are usually gained from exercise.

To determine the impact of pollution on exercise, researchers asked 119 people to take a two-hour stroll through London’s Hyde Park and also Oxford Street, a busy shopping area.

Levels of black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter in Hyde Park are typically well within healthy boundaries but air in Oxford Street regularly breaches dangerous pollution levels, as defined by the World Health Organisation.

“For people living in the inner city it may be difficult to find areas where they can go and walk, away from pollution. It shows that we can’t really tolerate the levels of air pollution that we currently find on our busy streets.”

Click here to view original page – Pollution wipes out the benefits of exercise, study suggests