We often think of smoking and air pollution when we talk about lung health. But what about the air we breathe for hours every day at work?
A recent analysis of data from the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) cohort study suggests that what we breathe at work, particularly dusts, fumes, gases and pesticides, may affect our lung health.
This analysis was based on 4,237 adults from the general population across 17 sites, mostly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), that were followed for a median of around 10 years. Each of them had their lung function measured using spirometry. By looking at the jobs each participant had throughout their life, we estimated their exposure at work to potentially harmful substances, including vapours, gases, dusts and fumes (VGDF), pesticides, solvents and metals each participant had been exposed at work.
So, what did we find?
People with greater occupational exposure to VGDF showed a larger decline over time in the ratio between two lung function parameters (FEV₁/FVC). This ratio tells us how easily air can be blown out of the lungs; falling values can be a sign of increasing airflow obstruction, which is typical of diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Pesticides stood out too. Higher pesticide exposure was linked not only with a greater decline in lung function, but also with wheezing. Those in the high-exposure group had a much higher risk of wheezing compared with those with little or no exposure.
Interestingly, we did not find similar associations for solvents or metals, and the results were broadly similar in men and women.
Why does this matter?
For many people, occupational exposure isn’t occasional; it can mean breathing the same dusts, fumes or chemicals for decades. This may be particularly important in LMICs, where occupational exposure limits and workplace protections may be less consistently implemented or enforced.
While the study included a large and diverse multinational population, there are some limitations. Workplace exposures were estimated rather than directly measured, and lung function was measured only once at follow-up. There was also substantial loss to follow-up, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors mean the findings should be interpreted with some caution, and further research is needed to identify which specific workplace exposures pose the greatest risk
The takeaway message: The air we breathe at work matters.
Smoking remains an important cause of chronic lung disease, but it isn’t the whole story. These findings reinforce the importance of reducing harmful workplace exposures and monitoring respiratory health, particularly among workers in high-exposure settings. Sometimes protecting lung health is not just about smoking; it’s also about making sure the places we work are safe to breathe in.
Read the full paper
The findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research. The article can be freely accessed and read here: https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/13/1/e004213