Saturday, December 15, 2012

Outdoor Air Pollution Causes 3 Million Deaths Every Year

Outdoor air pollution has been ranked among the top global health risks. It is a much more significant public health risk than previously known − contributing annually to over 3.2 million premature deaths worldwide and over 74 million years of healthy life lost.

The study, 2010 Global Burden of Disease, applied consistent methods to the largest global database ever assembled to estimate risks of premature mortality and contributions to global health burden from a wide variety of risks: smoking, diet, alcohol, HIV AIDS, household and outdoor air pollution, and many more. For the first time outdoor air pollution was placed among the top 10 health risks worldwide, top 5 risks in East Asia developing countries (China and North Korea), and top 6 risks in South Asia developing countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka).


Exposure to air pollution affects cardiovascular disease and other leading causes of disease and death worldwide, the health burden caused by it is substantial. All the while the impact from air pollution had been underestimated. With the data published hopefully effective action to reduce exposure will be put in place, especially in the developing countries.

For more info go to Health Effects Institute.

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