Diabetes is a chronic disease that impacts roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population. As much as 50 percent of population is prediabetic. This chronic disease, like all others, compromises the individual’s immune system. In this blog post we will point out how your environment can impact health and what can be done to improve the environment.

A member of our team has a friend who has diabetes. The affected person was shocked to learn that air quality impacted diabetes. We were discussing it on the phone with him, and I suggested he google PM 2.5 and diabetes to learn more. We have located some of that research here for our readers, and some might also be surprised to find how significantly air particulates affect those with diabetes. Recent studies show that being overweight does not fully translate to diabetes. Being overweight, however, does link to a compromised immune system.

Cleaning the air inside a building almost always is discussed from the perspective of dilution and filtration. In the news today, you continuously read about the ventilation, which is bringing in these outside pollutants inside. Studies would indicate it is reasonable to filter this air. Hygiene in the built environment or lack of hygiene will impact human health, for good and bad. Some research below shows as much.

The Mechanisms of 2.5PM Influence on Insulin Resistance

PM2.5 contributes to burden of diabetes mellitus globally

Long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and incident type 2 diabetes: a longitudinal cohort study

Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): When Experimental Data Explains Epidemiological Facts

A Frightening New Reason to Worry About Air Pollution: A massive study solidifies the link between particulates from cars and diabetes

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Other viruses, fungi and bacteria also impact the diabetic. The results of the first study below show that “diabetes is a risk factor – and contributes to the severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19. This paper also provides recommendations and guidelines for which could be useful for prevention and treatment of diabetic patients affected by COVID-19.”

Diabetes and COVID-19: A systematic review on the current evidences

Influenza Virus and Glycemic Variability in Diabetes: A Killer Combination?

Coccidioidomycosis in patients with diabetes mellitus