Air pollution is a serious problem. It affects our physical and mental health in a multitude of ways. India’s largest primary healthcare survey covered 233672 and 673 public health offices in 21 states by ASSOCHAM India and TARI gave us several answers. Hypertension, Digestive Diseases, and Diabetes are the top three NCD.

We are facing a huge burden of non-communicable diseases. With over 6.3 million deaths in 2017, our country contributed 15.3% of overall global deaths due to NCDs.

According to India’s largest survey report on Non-communicable Diseases by Assocham India and TARI (Thought Arbitrage Research Institute), hypertension, digestive diseases, and diabetes are among the most prevalent NCDs in the country. This is followed by respiratory diseases, brain disorders, heart diseases, kidney disorders, and cancer.

S.No.	Unique Risk Factors	Highest %
1	Air Pollution	76%
2	Low Physical Activity	67%
3	Imbalanced Diet	55%
4	Stress	44%
5	Obesity & BMI	24%
6	Tobacco consumption	16%
7	High leisure activities	10%
8	Alcohol consumption	9%
9	Lack of sleep	4%

As per the report, air pollution is the most prevalent risk factor among people with NCDs at 76%. It is followed by a sedentary lifestyle, improper diet while alcohol and tobacco consumption come lower down the order as other major risk factors for NCDs at 16% and 95 respectively. The report further highlights that 3 out of 4 Indians are exposed to air pollution, and this is highest among people in the age group 36-50 years at 30% as compared to other age groups.

Air pollution includes ambient particulate matter, household air pollution . Air Particulate Matter (PM) pollution, PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles can slip past our body’s defenses, damaging our brain, heart, and lungs.
Air pollution is everywhere, and our exposure to it is irrespective of age and profession. This is confirmed by Greenpeace India which in its report says that 154 cities in our country have an average particulate matter level higher than the national standard and fail to match the air quality standard prescribed by WHO.

In our country, people working as field workers, shopkeepers, working laborers, and sales professionals who extensively travel for their work are more vulnerable to air pollution. These people are exposed to various sources of air pollution. This includes emissions from plants and factories, automobile exhaust, harmful gases like carbon monoxide emitted from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gases. Stubble or crop burning activities and mining operations are some of the other major causes of outdoor pollution in India.

Non-working women and the young population living within the confines of the house are exposed to household air pollution. They are mostly subjected to air pollution caused by burning fuel such as kerosene, wood, and coal using basic stoves and to a lesser extent by secondhand smoke generated by tobacco smoking by the family members within the household premises.

Individually, we cannot control air pollution. This makes it one of the most common environmental risk factors associated with critical non-communicable diseases.

Air pollution affects pregnant women and kids as well. It causes pneumonia, reduces birth weight, lung growth, aggravates asthma, and adversely affects brain development in children.
Our skin plays the role of the barrier protecting the body from harmful things in the outside world is disturbed by air pollutants depending on the nature of the pollutant. People exposed to air pollution are found to be most prone to developing skin diseases.

Air pollution increases the chances of contracting skin diseases by as high as 52%. This typically happens when there is abnormal exposure to air pollution that exceeds the skin’s defensive potential. Acne vulgaris, Skin cancer, Contact Dermatitis Actinic Keratosis, and Psoriasis are common skin diseases that may be triggered by air pollution and other risk factors.

Air quality has an impact on the health of our lungs and the entire respiratory system too. People exposed to outside air pollution are 28% more susceptible to respiratory diseases while those subjected to indoor pollution are 17% more susceptible to such a disease. Air pollution at work, indoor air pollution, and air pollution on the road can make an individual prone to respiratory diseases.

The chances of developing hypertension are connected with air pollution. Air pollution accounts for increasing the chances of developing hypertension by 19%. This is due to the presence of other substances such as pollutants in the air besides oxygen.

With 12% of the relative risk percentage, air pollution is known to trigger diabetes in a significant manner among vulnerable populations. Air pollutants typically enter the bloodstream and react with tissues and organs. This disrupts the body and among other things, alters insulin sensitivity, and production. Such cases have been found mostly in low-income countries like India, China, and Indonesia where there is a lack of clear policies on air pollution.

With growing air pollution, today, we are more prone to developing cancer. It sparks defects in our body’s DNA repair function and altering immune response enhancing the relative risk of developing cancer by 6%. Globally, there are also concerns with airborne carcinogens that may increase the cases of lung cancer.

The awareness about the role of risk factors in the causation of NCDS is relatively poor in our country. This makes it important to generate awareness and amass knowledge about NCDs and mitigation.

Given that we have limited control over environmental risk factors like air pollution, lifestyle changes are essential. It’s equally important for all of us to undergo preventive check-ups for taking necessary precautionary actions and early detection and treatment if conditions of specific NCDs are setting in.

I attended a webinar by ASSOCHAM India on 22nd July during the launch of this survey report.

I am also writing this as part of my #CauseAchatter journey with Blogchatter promoting the need for Environmental health .It’s never too late to start.