Air pollution caused by PM of a diameter under 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) reduces the average life expectancy of Indians by 1.53 years, according to a paper published in the journal Environment Science and Technology Letters. The impact of PM2.5 is particularly high in south Asia, where it decreases life expectancy by 1.56 years, far above the global average of 1.03 years, the paper says. [...]
The researchers estimated the cost of air pollution in terms of life years by modeling the data on deaths from diseases for which air pollution is a risk factor, including heart disease, strokes, and lung cancer. They then compared this data to each country’s baseline life expectancy.
To put their findings in context, they compared these figures with the estimated decrease in life expectancy caused by other risk factors, such as tobacco consumption and cancer. In south Asia, tobacco smoking caused a decrease of 1.51 years and cancer 1.26 years, both slightly less than the impact of PM 2.5.
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