Heatwave -> Increase in deaths among young people under 35 [Climate Crisis Now]

A new study found that if global warming continues due to increased greenhouse gases, the number of deaths among young people under the age of 35 will increase by 32%. This is noteworthy because it shows that young people, not children or the elderly, who are known to be vulnerable to heat waves, may be more vulnerable to heat waves.



The Guardian, a British media outlet, reported this on the 6th (local time), saying, "In the climate crisis, heat waves have been considered a problem mainly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly," and "As temperatures rise, the people who suffer the most from heat-related deaths are those under the age of 35, according to new research."



It is not that the elderly are not vulnerable to heat waves, but they currently account for most deaths due to the cold. The analysis showed that as the world gets warmer and the burden of mortality shifts, young people will suffer disproportionately.



On June 21, citizens resting under the shade of a tree to avoid the heat wave in Washington, D.C. [Photo = Guardian]



Andrew Wilson, a researcher at Columbia University who published a related paper in 'Science Advances', explained, "Most discussions about heat vulnerability have focused on the elderly, but we found the cause of the inequality in that heat mortality is in the young."



This study was based on extensive mortality records and data obtained from deaths in Mexico, a country with a high 'wet bulb temperature', to determine people's heat stress levels.



The temperature that a thermometer tells you is the dry-bulb temperature. Experts measure the level of stress through the 'heat index' and wet-bulb temperature.



The heat index refers to the perceived temperature. The wet-bulb temperature refers to the lowest temperature at which an object can cool when water evaporates from it. It can measure how well our bodies cool down by sweating when it is hot and humid.



According to research results from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), the increase in moisture due to global warming has a greater effect on increasing the heat stress index felt by humans than temperature.



It is said that humidity is the problem rather than high temperature. GFDL predicted that "it is felt most severely in summer and humid tropical and subtropical regions, but heat stress will also increase significantly in most mid-latitude regions."



NOAA explained that "when it is hot, body temperature can be controlled by releasing sweat and evaporating, but when it is humid, even this is not effective, and we are faced with a situation where heat-related illnesses are bound to increase in number."



The results of this Mexican study are no different. The researchers who led this study confirmed that 75% of heat-related deaths in the 20 years up to 2019 occurred in people under 35 years of age, and almost all deaths due to cold were over 50 years of age.



In Mexico, most temperature-related deaths occur in cold weather. They warned that the recent increase in extreme heat problems could lead to more young people dying.



Wilson said, "These patterns (in Mexico) are fundamentally similar in the way different age groups respond to temperature, and they can be replicated in other countries, such as the United States and Europe."



In other words, heat-related deaths among young people are expected to increase in the future. "Climate change is here, and how we adapt to it is going to be a very important factor in determining the future health of humanity," Wilson said. "We need to think more about the risks that young people face."



The researchers said there is no single cause for why young people are at increased risk in heat waves. They explained that there are likely multiple factors, such as physiological differences.



For example, babies cannot dissipate heat by sweating, so they depend on their caregivers. Young people have occupational risks similar to those of working-age people who work outdoors in agriculture or construction.



This is why there are calls around the world for appropriate worker protection measures in heat waves. In fact, in the United States, the Biden administration has enacted the first federal regulation to protect workers from heat waves.



"The high youth heat-related mortality rates in countries like Mexico are due to the fact that there are more young people than old people in the population, and the risk factors associated with working in the hot sun, such as in fields," said Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington.



The study will help researchers understand how different segments of the population may be affected by rising temperatures, the researchers said. At least in Mexico, the study suggests that climate change could lead to more heat-related deaths among young people.



"These findings suggest that there may be need for interventions, such as ensuring that workers have adequate rest breaks and adjusting sports schedules to avoid extreme heat," the experts said.





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