Study: Swinging Temps Could Be Fatal For Seniors With Chronic Diseases

07:56

April 09, 2012

Two women jog on the banks of the Charles River in Boston in March (AP)

In the past month, the temperature in Boston has swung from lows, in the 30s, to highs in the 80s and back again. It's enough to give you whiplash.

And it turns out, extreme weather fluctuations do exact a serious physical toll. According to a new study, wild summer temperature swings could actually be fatal for elders struggling with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. And when you combine the country's rising senior population and the possibility that climate change could lead to more volatile temperature fluctuations, the study's findings are sobering.

Guests:

Joel Schwartz, professor of environmental epidemiology at the Harvard School of of Public Health, and senior author of the study

More:

Harvard School of Public Health, "Summer Temperature Variability May Increase Mortality Risk for Elderly with Chronic Disease"

This segment aired on April 9, 2012.