New Delhi:
Long-term exposure to polluted air containing particulate matter PM 2.5, which is 30 times thinner than a strand of hair, may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
A study by Lancet, a leading medical journal, outlines how 20% of type 2 diabetes is linked to chronic exposure to PM 2.5 pollutants. These fine pollutants are emitted from the combustion of oil, diesel, biomass and gasoline. The study has wider implications in India due to increasing pollution and exposure of a large population to harmful air.
The Lancet study
The PM 2.5 pollutant is often called a killer and is a major component of air pollution in urban areas. The study suggests that short-term exposure to PM 2.5 increases the risk of insulin resistance by activating the autonomic nervous system, which is a pathway to cardiovascular disease.
The study found that monthly exposure to PM 2.5 pollutants led to an increase in blood sugar levels and that long-term exposure (almost a year) led to a 20% increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The association between air pollution and diabetes is greater among men from lower socio-economic groups and men with comorbidities. There is evidence that PM2.5 is associated with chronic kidney disease in populations with and without diabetes.
About 537 million people suffer from type 2 diabetes and half of them don't know they have diabetes.
Meanwhile, in India, an estimated 77 million people above the age of 18 suffer from diabetes (type 2) and nearly 25 million are prediabetics (with a higher risk of developing diabetes in the future), according to the WHO.
Polluted air in Indian cities
Bihar's Begusarai emerged as the world's most polluted metropolitan area, while Delhi was identified as the capital with the worst air quality, according to the World Air Quality Report. The national capital has been ranked as the most polluted capital in the world four times since 2018.
With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter, India had the third worst air quality of 134 countries in 2023, behind Bangladesh (79.9 micrograms per cubic meter) and Pakistan (73.7 micrograms per cubic meter ). World Air Quality Report 2023 from the Swiss organization IQAir.
In 2022, India ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic meter.
It is estimated that 1.36 billion people in India experience PM2.5 concentrations higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended annual guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter, the report said.
– With inputs from PTI