Study Claimed Children Who Inhaled 9/11 Debris Showing Signs Of Heart Disease
Almost 16 years after the twin towers of the World Trade Center was bombed and collapsed in New York City, its negative effects can still be felt by the children who were around the vicinity during the 9/11 terror attacks in the U.S.
A new study from a group of researchers from NYU Langone Health claimed that the kids who were exposed to the chemicals that were released into the air during the 9/11 attacks showed early signs of heart disease risk.
According to reports, the researchers looked into the blood tests of 308 children where about half of whom possibly had a direct contact with the debris of the World Trade Center towers during the terror attack.
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Based on their analysis, the children with higher blood levels of chemicals that are found in the dust possessed a higher level of artery-hardening fats in their system.
One of the chemicals that are found in the dust particles that the children inhaled during the Sept. 11 attack included the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which used to be one of the components of making plastics until it was banned in 2014 due to its negative health effects.
Based on the study, the children who were exposed to the 9/11 debris possessed a significantly higher PFOA blood levels compared to those who were not staying in New York City during the day of the attack.
The Associate Professor at New York University School of Medicine and study lead investigator Leonardo Trasande explained the significance of the study in a statement that was reported by EurekAlert.
"Since 9/11, we have focused a lot of attention on the psychological and mental fallout from witnessing the tragedy, but only now are the potential physical consequences of being within the disaster zone itself becoming clear," Trasande stated.
The researcher also mentioned that their study was the first one to link a possible long-term cardiovascular health risk in children that comes from toxic chemical exposure during the 9/11 attacks.
Meanwhile, these signs of cardiovascular risk seen on WTCHR children can still be addressed by diet, weight control, and exercise.
