Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at Hasselt University in Belgium recently conducted a study with some startling findings: air pollution triggers more heart attacks than cocaine and poses the same risk as alcohol, coffee and physical exertion.

The study was published in the February 2011 issue of The Lancet journal.

The researchers pooled data from 36 separate studies that looked at various heart attack triggers. Using the data from these studies, they were able to determine the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of each trigger. PAF is the proportion of total heart attacks estimated to have been caused by each trigger, and gives a measure of how much disease would be avoided if the risk were no longer present.

They found that the highest risk PAF was exposure to traffic. That was closely followed by physical exertion, alcohol, coffee, air pollution, and then things such as anger, sex, cocaine use, smoking marijuana, and respiratory infections.

The researchers highlighted that cocaine was most likely to trigger a heart attack in an individual but traffic pollution had the largest overall effect because so many people are exposed to it.

This study provides yet another reason to increase efforts for reducing pollution and follows a study conducted late last year showing that pollution is responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths a year.

It is important to remember that the foundations of heart disease that lead to a heart attack are laid down over a number of years. According to health experts, the best way to avoid a heart attack is by exercising, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

The American Lung Association released it’s State of the Air 2010 report the week of April 30th, 2010. One of the most alarming findings of the report is that 6 out of 10 Americans live in places where air pollution often reaches dangerous levels.

Researchers examined levels of fine particulate matter in the air over a 24 hour period and calculated the average over the entire year.

They found that the area surrounding Los Angeles had the worst overall pollution in the nation. Bakersfield, California had the worst short term levels of particle pollution and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale in Arizona had the worst year round air pollution.

If you want to live in one of the cleanest cities in the country, you may need to move to North Dakota. Two of the top 3 cleanest cities were Fargo, N.D. and Wahpeton, N.D. The city of Lincoln in Nebraska also made the top of the list.

With 175 million Americans living in areas with dangerous levels of pollution, experts say there needs to be an increase in efforts aimed at reducing air pollution.

Air pollution is harmful because it causes oxidative damage and inflammation which can destroy cell membranes, DNA and proteins. Studies have linked air pollution to a variety of heart and lung diseases, as well as respiratory disorders.

One way to potentially offset the negative effects of air pollution is by consuming more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods and supplements, which may help to reduce oxidative stress.