USRTK has a news report about a new study that shows that PM2.5 damages children’s IQ, even at levels previously considered safe. For each 1 µg/m3, the researchers found a decrease in combined (full scale) IQ of 0.27 points, and a decrease in performance IQ (problem solving, pattern recognition, spatial reasoning) of 0.39 points. Performance IQ is really important for critical thinking and functioning.
It may seem like 0.27 or 0.39 points is not much, but being able to measure any amount of change in average IQ for thousands of children means there has been a lot of effect (damage) to the children’s brains.
At a national level, reducing children’s IQ affects our economy, GDP, the number and ability of future leaders, as well as an increasing the number of children who need special resources and extra support in school and as adults.
The tables in the study show the statistics for each study, and then a combined statistic. All of the studies had results showing decreased IQ. All of the different measures of either verbal, performance, or combined/full scale IQ had statistically significant results, except one study of verbal IQ from Rome.
Table 5 from Alter, Whitman, Bellinger, and Landrigan in Environmental Health. Even if you’re not a data person, you can see that ALL the lines are below 0, meaning that they ALL show decreased IQ from PM2.5.
The study was a meta-analysis of about 5,000 children. Meta-analysis is a type of study where multiple studies are combined together to get a combined result, which is stronger because it has more data than any one study.
Remember that due to historical red-lining and other forms of environmental injustice, current pollution levels are worse in Black and brown communities, further perpetuating the harms of the past.
Read the news report here.
Read the scientific study here.
1-7-2024 AKMB
