Air pollution cutting Indians' lives short by over 1.5yrs: Study
What's the story
Ambient air pollution shortens an average Indian's life by over 1.5 years, say scientists who suggest better air quality could lead to a significant extension of human lifespan around the world. Researchers said that if PM2.5 concentrations worldwide were limited to the WHO air quality guideline concentration of 10 micrograms/cubic meter, the global life expectancy would be on average 0.59 year longer. Here's more.
First study
First time data on air pollution, lifespan was studied together
The benefit of reaching the stringent target would be especially large in countries with the highest current levels of pollution, with approximately 0.8-1.4 years of additional survival in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China. This is the first time data on air pollution and lifespan has been studied together to examine the global variations to find out how they affect the overall life expectancy.
Fine particles
Side effects of breathing PM2.5
The researchers from the University of Texas at Austin in the US looked at outdoor air pollution from particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 microns. These fine particles can enter deep into the lungs, and breathing PM2.5 is associated with increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, respiratory diseases and cancer. PM2.5 pollution comes from power plants, cars and trucks, fires, agriculture and industrial emissions.
Information
India had a life expectancy impact of 1.53 years
The researchers found that the life expectancy impact of ambient PM2.5 is especially large in polluted countries like Bangladesh (1.87 years), Egypt (1.85 years), Pakistan (1.56 years), Saudi Arabia (1.48 years), and China (1.25 years). India had a life expectancy impact of 1.53 years.
Effect on survival
Air pollution has a very large effect on survival: Researcher
The team used data from Global Burden of Disease Study to measure PM2.5 air pollution exposure and its consequences in 185 countries. "We're able to systematically identify how air pollution substantially shortens lives around the world. What we found is that air pollution has a very large effect on survival, on average about a year globally," said Joshua Apte, who led the study.