Possible Effects of air pollution on Athletes’ Performance in China’s 2008 Olympics

The City of Beijing is well on schedule with preparations for the 2008 Olympics but with the Games less than a year away, pollution still presents a threat to athletes’ performance because the city has not yet met its environmental targets.

According to a recent report by the Beijing Games organizers and the International Olympic Committee, the Chinese government has a long way to go to improve the air quality in its capital.

"Beijing has made major progress compared to what I experienced when I was there just a few years ago. But just by looking outside you can see the pollution is still very bad," said Georges Colin, a sports journalist for Haitian Television Network who specializes in Olympic coverage and recently traveled to Beijing. “These days, the sky is not all gray, but an acrid gray haze still hangs over the city.”

In a recent marathon, the air pollution index reached 200 where a reading of 100 is considered dangerous. Out of the 40, 000 runners who signed up to take part in the Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon, the largest footrace in china, many became experienced respiratory trouble as early as a third of the way through the event. Throughout the race, runners coughed and choked as they ran. Tsang Kam-yin, a 53-year-old three-time marathon runner collapsed and died half way into the race. About 20 other runners were hospitalized because of respiratory problems. After the Marathon, many runners suffered complained about asthma attacks and hacking fits after crossing the finish line.

"I was there in Beijing, covering that international marathon, it was very intesese that day to see all these bodies falling to the ground almost simultaneously," said Colin. "The air was very thick. I arrived there chocking and could not see well. It was like sticking your head in the M5 tunnel in Sydney, and being behind a truck. It was a very heavy smog and you could actually feel it on your skin. You know that sort of sweaty and greety feeling."

Many experts on the games, including the International Olympic Committee Executive Director, Gilbert Felli, agree that environmental pollution in China is an issue that needed to be addressed and improved as soon as possible if the Chinese government wants the Olympic Games to be a success.

“The important thing for us is to understand exactly what it is and to understand what it will be at the time of the Games,” Felli said to Chinese reporters at a recent press conference.

This leaves many people worried about the possible effects of such pollution on athletes’ performance during the games. Air pollution is not just a matter of aesthetics, but increasingly one of life and death. While smog-obscured skylines grab the headlines, the lingering consequence of deteriorating air quality has been a rise in serious health problems and premature deaths. According to Dr. Miguel J. Lanz, a specialist in Respiratory Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital, short- and long-term exposure to air pollution is connected with a variety of detrimental health effects, including acute respiratory inflammation, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“Particulate pollution destroys the aerobic conditioning and eventually the overall health of athletes. When you breathe these particles and they get into your lungs and create muscle spasm and stiffness for an athlete. So, even the best athlete can suffer under such conditions,” said Dr. Lanz.

For this reason, the International Olympic Committee is looking at limiting the time the athletes are exposed to China, and having training camps offshore, and then coming into China for the Games at the last possible moment.

"There's no acclimatisation period to the conditions in Beijing," said Colin. "It's more of an avoidance policy and get there at the last minute. So far, the Olympic Committee has sent preliminary teams, like several Australian sailors. A few triathletes have gone in and the feedback from those athletes is that they don't really want to prepare in China, that they'd rather prepare in other neighboring countries and then come into Beijing at the last moment."

Beijing is one of 200 Chinese cities that fall short of World Health Organization (WHO) standards for the airborne particulates that are responsible for respiratory diseases. A recent study by the Chinese research Institute found that 400,000 premature deaths are caused every year in China by diseases linked to air pollution. The study also showed that in regions with low air pollution, the death rate is 4.08 percent; in areas with moderate to high pollution, such as Beijing, it was 7.49. Dr. Lanz who has traveled to Beijing and worked in high polluted cities, such as Los Angeles and New York says that poor air quality can also aggravate other life-threatening conditions. Thus, someone who has asthma can easily develop Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

“Athletes who trained in high polluted areas are taking a big risk. Though they may not live there, during training and performance, they are absorbing toxics that defy early death and can cause permanent disability,” he said.

These possible health risks create an image crisis for China. While the rest of the world sits back and watches how China handles this emergency, its government is trying to turn Beijing into a national representation of green politics. In their progress report to the IOC Executive Board, Felli said they had specific measures which will come into force in Haze from industrial and human activity in order to improve air quality ahead of the Olympics.

“There were 350 commitments made and we cannot find one they do not live up to," he said
The city will replace thousands of taxis and buses with lesser polluted vehicles and the large Shougang steel plant in Beijing will reduce steel and coke manufacture by 50 percent by the end of this year. It will also substitute coal furnaces with natural gas furnaces and rush builders to finish construction well before the Olympic Games so that dust from the building projects has a chance to settle. Beijing authorities are building four new subway lines, adding many miles of rails and improving the efficacy of public transportation.

With these changes, the Chinese are not only hoping to provide a safe environment for athletes during the 2008 Olympic Games, but also present a monumental sales pitch to the rest of the world by building a city focused on the best environmental practices.

Research from the National Jewish Research and Medical Center, Denver-CO

Health Effects of Air Pollution
The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individual's health status and genetics. People who exercise outdoors, for example, on hot, smoggy days increase their exposure to pollutants in the air.
The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and even premature death.

Human Respiratory System
The health of our lungs and entire respiratory system is affected by the quality of the air we breathe. In addition to oxygen, this air contains other substances such as pollutants, which can be harmful. Exposure to chemicals by inhalation can negatively affect our lungs and other organs in the body. The respiratory system is particularly sensitive to air pollutants because much of it is made up of exposed membrane. Lungs are anatomically structured to bring large quantities of air (on average, 400 million litres in a lifetime) into intimate contact with the blood system, to facilitate the delivery of oxygen.

Lung tissue cells can be injured directly by air pollutants such as ozone, metals and free radicals. Ozone can damage the alveoli -- the individual air sacs in the lung where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. More specifically, airway tissues which are rich in bioactivation enzymes can transform organic pollutants into reactive metabolites and cause secondary lung injury. Lung tissue has an abundant blood supply that can carry toxic substances and their metabolites to distant organs. In response to toxic insult, lung cells also release a variety of potent chemical mediators that may critically affect the function of other organs such as those of the cardiovascular system. This response may also cause lung inflammation and impair lung function.

Structure and Function
The human respiratory system is dominated by our lungs, which bring fresh oxygen (O2) into our bodies while expelling carbon dioxide (CO2). The oxygen travels from the lungs through the bloodstream to the cells in all parts of the body. The cells use the oxygen as fuel and give off carbon dioxide as a waste gas. The waste gas is carried by the bloodstream back to the lungs to be exhaled.
The lungs accomplish this vital process - called gas exchange - using an automatic and quickly adjusting control system. This gas exchange process occurs in conjunction with the central nervous system (CNS), the circulatory system, and the musculature of the diaphragm and the chest.
The human respiratory system can be divided into the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract. The upper respiratory tract includes the following rigid structures:
Nasal cavities: Filter the air we breathe and provide a sense of smell.
Pharynx: Acts in the respiratory and the digestive system.
Larynx: Link between the pharynx and the trachea. Generates the voice with the presence of vocal folds.
Trachea: The trachea is the bond with the lower respiratory tract. This is a flexible structure allowing the air to go down to the lungs.
In addition to gas exchange, the lungs and the other parts of the respiratory system have important jobs to do related to breathing. These include:
Bringing all air to the proper body temperature.
Moisturizing the inhaled air for necessary humidity.
Protecting the body from harmful substances by coughing, sneezing, filtering or swallowing them, or by alerting the body through the sense of smell.
Defending the lungs with cilia (tiny hair-like structure), mucus and macrophages, which act to remove harmful substances deposited in the respiratory system.

The respiratory system is sensitive to air pollution. The cardiovascular system can be affected as well.Many chemical substances may cause the formation of reactive oxygen. This oxidative metabolism is considered to be critical to the preservation of cardiovascular function. For example, oxygen free radicals oxidize low-density lipoproteins, and this reaction is thought to be involved in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaques. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins can injure blood vessel cells and increase adherence and the migration of inflammatory cells to the injured area. The production of oxygen free radicals in heart tissues have been associated with arrhythmias, and heart cell death.

The role of air pollution as the underlying cause remains unclear but is the subject of considerable research. However, it is clear that air pollution, infections and allergies can exacerbate these conditions. An early diagnosis can lead to appropriate treatment and ensure a normal or close to normal quality of life. In many cases however, there is no cure and those affected may die prematurely. The following are the most prevalent diseases:
Minor Lung Illnesses - the common cold is the most familiar of these, with symptoms including sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, coughing and sometimes irritation of the eyes.
Lung Infections - croup, bronchitis, and pneumonia are caused by viruses or bacteria and are very common. Symptoms may include cough, fever, chills and shortness of breath.
Asthma - is an increasingly common chronic disease among children and adults. It causes shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing or whistling in the chest. Asthma attacks can be triggered by a variety of factors including exercise, infection, pollen, allergies and stress. It can also be triggered by a sensitivity to non-allergic types of pollutants present in the air such as smog.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - is also known as chronic obstructive lung disease and encompasses two major disorders: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is a chronic disorder in which the walls and elasticity of the alveoli are damaged. Chronic bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the cells lining the inside of bronchi, which increases the risk of infection and obstructs airflow in and out of the lung. Smoking is responsible for approximately 80% of COPD cases while other forms of air pollution may also influence the development of these diseases. Symptoms include cough, production of mucous and shortness of breath. It is important to note that no cure exists for people suffering from COPD although healthy lifestyle and appropriate medication can help.

Air pollution can affect both the respiratory and cardiac systems. The health effects of air pollution can be seen as a pyramid, with the mildest but not common effects at the bottom of the pyramid, and the least common but more severe at the top of the pyramid. The pyramid demonstrates that as severity decreases the number of people affected increases.
Health Endpoints Associated with Increased Air Pollutants Levels
Mortality: All non-accidental mortality causes
Hospital Admissions: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Hospital Admissions
Emergency Room Visits: Visit to an emergency department
Asthma Symptom Days: Exacerbation of asthma symptoms in individuals with diagnosed asthma
Restricted Activity Days: Days spent in bed, missed from work, and days when activities are partially restricted due to illness
Acute Respiratory Symptoms: Respiratory-related symptoms such as chest discomfort, coughing and wheezing

Updates

From the time I started writing my story, I have been concentrating on improving where it lacks human element. This is very difficult to do because of the distance. I am not in China, so I cannot hit the streets to find sources. I have a lot information for the story from the online research that I have done and newspaper articles that I have read about the subject. These articles have helped in the development of the story, but I need more. The story needs an expert’s voice and that’s where the National Jewish Research and Medical Center comes in. I think with their expertise I will be able to give my readers an accurate and convincing news story about the affects of pollution on the human body and most importantly how it may affect athletes’ performances.
So far I was able to get Medical data from the National Jewish Research and Medical Center about the health effects of air pollution on the human respitory system through e-mail. However, I need to speak to a medical expert from the center, so I will continue to call them and ask to speak to someone until I get the help that I need. Fortunately for me, my story is based on an event that has not yet taken place and the pollution issue in China has not been fixed. I can continue to work on it until I write a great story.I also have been trying to get contacts in China. The two girls who I was hoping would help me from the University of Beijing have fallen flat from the surface of the earth. In the beginning, they sounded very promising and I thought I was going to get some great pictures from them, however I have not heard from them in the last two weeks. At this point, I really don’t think they will come through for me. So, what I have done since is that I have e-mailed several universities in the U.S. to try to find contacts. I sent e-mails to the University of Miami, University of Missouri, University of California and University of Florida. I have gotten a response from UM and they put me in contact with their International student and their Exchange student programs to find potential Chinese contacts. I informed them that the contacts do not have to be Chinese. If they have connections with China and live there, I want to talk to them. I spoke to the directors of both of those programs and told them what we are trying to do at our school. They both were very enthusiastic about it and even admit that their university has never done anything like that. They told me that they will contact me sometime this week once they get in touch with potential students. Right now, I am hoping that this works because I have a few other story ideas; however I need contacts to develop them.

Website Design Suggestion

I know we only have two months to develop our website and for most of us this is a first. However, our results should not reflect the work of amateurs. With that in mind, I think our website should be in a three column format with a white background because it's easier to read information on a white bacground. At the very top, there should be a date and time display of when our site was last updatedd. Below that should be the title bar displaying our name and logo. On the main or front page we should have the headlines and part of our top stories for that week or month. These headlines and top stories should be linked to a page that feature their respective region. For example, the top story from china on the front page should continue on China's page.
In addition, we should have an expanding menu bar at the far left side of the main page that lists our three regions. Each region on that menu bar should have a hang down menu listing the different topics about from that particular country, i.e., education, politics and entertainment. These topics should link readers to their relevant stories. At the far right we should have a menu bar listing our advertisements, staff, contacts, contributors, opinions posts ect... There should be photographs and vidoes that go along with the headlines and top stories on the front page. At the bottom of the page, we can add the real time news link that our professor suggested.The colors on the site should reflect the colors of the flags in the three regions that we are covering. As far as font, I think we should stick to one that is easy to read. These are just suggestions, so feel free to disagree with any. Thank you.

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Impact of air pollution on the 2008 Olympics in China

Point of my Story:

What are the possible effects of air pollution in China on athletes' performance during the 2008 Olympics?

What do I have now and what do I need to make my story better?

I already have Satelite data that reveals the impact of China's air pollution on its people. The data links air pollution in several Chinese cities especially Beijing to 400,000 premature deaths this past year and respiratory problems that people in those cities are experiencing.

To make my story even better I need to find studies on how pollution effects the human body, especially athletes. I also need to collect data on athletes' performance in western cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Paris that also have a pollution problem.

What steps do I need to take to make my story better?

I need to talk to coaches who have trained athletes in bad conditions and find out how these conditions impacted the athletes' performance. I need to find what Medical scientists are saying about physical training in air polluted areas (i.e., running under such conditions is like running through a smog-obscured building while smoking a cigarette, etc...) I need to interview people who have been and lived in china to get an idea on how air pollution affected their health and everyday lives.

I also need to research the Chinese media and get their point of view on the problem. Because this issue affects the world, I need to get a global stance on the issue, so I will research several global news media to get their perspectives on the issue.