The review, published today in The Lancet Planetary Health and led by the University of Bristol, shows how prolonged exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures not only carries greater risk of death but could also be linked to many other health issues, including reduced physical activity and dementia.
The review, published today in The Lancet Planetary Health and led by the University of Bristol, shows how prolonged exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures not only carries greater risk of death but could also be linked to many other health issues, including reduced physical activity and dementia.
While the negative impact of weather extremes on heart and lung health are widely known, the study unites leading climate scientists, meteorologists, public health doctors, and epidemiologists to give a more comprehensive picture of the far-reaching and interrelated implications.
The assessment highlights how more frequent and lasting weather extremes, such as with heatwaves and flooding, exacerbate mental health problems and the spread of infectious diseases. Long-term heat exposure can disrupt sleep, which is associated with cognitive decline and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Heat can also heighten levels of kidney disease and skin cancer, while cold weather may result in more injuries from falls, poor mental health through isolation, joint pain, and sedentary behaviour, the study observed.
Read more at: University of Bristol
