Air pollution has emerged as the second leading cause of death worldwide, with a profound impact on Asia’s population, particularly children, according to a recent report.
The State of Global Air (SoGA) report, released on Wednesday in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Health Effects Institute (HEI), reveals that air pollution was responsible for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021.
While high blood pressure remains the leading risk factor for adult deaths, air pollution has surpassed many other health risks, significantly affecting both adults and children. The report highlights that in 2021, exposure to polluted air was linked to more than 700,000 deaths of children under the age of five, making it the second leading risk factor for mortality in this vulnerable age group.
“Beyond these deaths, many more millions of people are living with debilitating chronic diseases, putting tremendous strains on healthcare systems, economies, and societies,” the study notes. Children under five are especially susceptible, with health impacts including premature birth, low birth weight, asthma, and lung diseases.
The report points out that approximately 500,000 of these child deaths were primarily linked to household air pollution in Africa and Asia, largely due to indoor cooking with polluting fuels.
Analyzing data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study, the SoGA report sheds light on the severe health impacts of pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), household air pollution, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. It underscores that nearly every person on Earth breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution daily, with far-reaching health implications.
“More than 90 percent of these global air pollution deaths—7.8 million people—are attributed to PM air pollution, including ambient PM and household air pollution,” the report states. “These tiny particles, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, are so small they remain in the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, affecting many organ systems and increasing the risks for noncommunicable diseases in adults like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”
PM2.5 has been identified as the most consistent and accurate predictor of poor health outcomes worldwide. The widespread presence of these particles poses a significant challenge, especially in densely populated regions of Asia.
“We hope our State of Global Air report provides both the information and the inspiration for change,” said HEI President Dr. Elena Craft. “Air pollution has enormous implications for health. We know that improving air quality and global public health is practical and achievable.”
The Health Effects Institute is an independent U.S.-based nonprofit research organization dedicated to understanding the health effects of air pollution.
Reference(s):
Study shows air pollution leading risk factor for death globally
cgtn.com
