Researchers are studying whether air pollution could be contributing to the obesity epidemic, and the news is not good for city dwellers and second-hand smokers. Increasingly, it looks like two people can have exactly the same diet, and perform the same amount of exercise, but one may put on more weight depending on the air quality around their home.
The tiny particles that lodge in the lungs from smog and cigarette smoke appear to be the culprits in more than just respiratory diseases, according to researchers, who are looking into the effect that increased CO2 levels might have on metabolism.