At a time when the Delhi government all set to introduce the second phase of its ambitious car-rationing scheme to control air pollution in the national capital, health experts, citing a recent study, claimed that people living in Metro cities are putting on more weight not just because of the poor lifestyle and eating habits, but also due to the higher levels of pollution they are exposed to.
The health experts said, according to a study published in Journal of Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology in February 2016 air pollution is not just a risk factor for childhood obesity, but early life exposure to ambient particles either increases susceptibility to diet-induced weight gain in adulthood or increases insulin resistance, adiposity (fat deposition in the body), and inflammation.
“The link between air pollution and obesity is indeed a new subject of concern. While it is already well-established that toxic air is causing more damage than just to the respiratory system. But its link with obesity is certainly worrisome because it will indirectly also lead to a rise in obesity-linked complications, like hypertension, heart diseases and type 2 diabetes etc,” said director and head (minimal access surgery), Fortis hospital, Dr Randeep Wadhawan.
According to the experts, high levels of air pollution is not just leading to an increase in the respiratory diseases, like poor lung function, asthma and allergies, it has also raised the risk of other health problems, like obesity, poor foetal development and increased cases of miscarriage.
Chairman of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr S.P. Byotra suggested that considering the level of air pollution people are exposed to in Metros, breathing in a healthy air at least when they are in their homes may help reduce the chances of air pollution related health issues. Studies indicate that controlling indoor air quality may not just bring drastic improvements in respiratory health diseases, but can also help avoid chances of developing other health problems, especially in the children and elderly.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in the year 2015, indoor exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from outdoor sources is a major health concern, especially in highly polluted developing countries.
