A comprehensive international review has found that air pollution significantly increases the likelihood of frailty in middle-aged and older adults. The study, published in the journal Ageing Research Reviews, analysed data from 10 studies across 11 countries, including the UK, China, Sweden, South Africa, and Mexico. The findings indicate that outdoor particle pollution is directly associated with a higher risk of frailty, a condition characterised by heightened vulnerability, loss of independence, and increased healthcare costs.
Dr Zahra Jafari, coauthor of the review from Dalhousie University, emphasised that frailty is not an inevitable part of ageing. 'It can be delayed, prevented, or even reversed,' she said. The research suggests that in the UK, approximately 10-20% of frailty cases may be attributable to air pollution. Two of the studies also found that men were more vulnerable than women to the effects of particle pollution on frailty.
Beyond outdoor air pollution, the review identified exposure to secondhand smoke as the environmental factor posing the greatest risk of frailty, increasing the likelihood by about 60% for those exposed at home. Using solid fuels for cooking or heating was also linked to an elevated risk, roughly half that of living with a smoker. Otto-Emil Jutila from the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the review, stressed the importance of cleaner air and smoke-free environments. 'Since frailty can be reversible, reducing these exposures may extend years of independence and ease the strain on health and social services,' he said.
The review adds to growing evidence of the preventable health burden air pollution places on older people. In 2023, a UK government advisory committee found that air pollution contributes to dementia and called for policies such as low-pollution school zones and integrating health into net zero strategies. A separate UK study of 360,000 people aged 40-69 found that living in polluted areas increased the risk of multiple chronic diseases by 20%, while other research has linked air pollution to accelerated osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
