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  3. Living near an ocean polluted by microplastics may increase cardiometabolic disease risk
Categories: Heart News
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Published: June 18, 2025

Living near an ocean polluted by microplastics may increase cardiometabolic disease risk

Rates of Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and stroke were higher among residents in 152 U.S. coastal counties near microplastic-polluted oceans, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association
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Beach pollution impact

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Gulf coast shoreline

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Coastal waterway

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Coastal marsh

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Waterway pollution

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Coastal Maps

Maps show bright areas along the United States coastline, which indicate how common coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, and stroke are in those regions. Brighter areas mean a higher prevalence of these health issues. The size of the bubbles on the ocean represents the amount of microplastics found in water samples collected from that area between 2015 and 2020.

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Coastal Maps

Coastal Maps

Maps show bright areas along the United States coastline, which indicate how common coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, and stroke are in those regions. Brighter areas mean a higher prevalence of these health issues. The size of the bubbles on the ocean represents the amount of microplastics found in water samples collected from that area between 2015 and 2020.

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Sarju Ganatra M.D.

Sarju Ganatra, M.D., senior author of the study, medical director of sustainability, vice chair of research in the department of medicine at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts, and president of Sustain Health Solutions

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Sarju Ganatra M.D.

Sarju Ganatra M.D.

Sarju Ganatra, M.D., senior author of the study, medical director of sustainability, vice chair of research in the department of medicine at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts, and president of Sustain Health Solutions

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  • Beach pollution impact
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