Updated March 26, 2014 04:13:52
The World Health Organisation says an estimated seven million people died as a result of air pollution in 2012.
This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world's largest single environmental health risk and the cause of one-in-eight deaths globally.
In particular, the new data reveal a stronger link between both indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer. That's in addition to air pollution's role in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
Nearly six million of the deaths were in low- and middle-income countries in South East Asia and the Western Pacific region.
The WHO says about 3.3 million people died as a result of indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths were related to outdoor pollution.
Risks factors are greater than expected
'The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,' said Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.
'Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe,' she said.
WHO estimates indoor air pollution was linked to 4.3 million deaths in 2012 in households cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves.
WHO estimates around 2.9 billion people live in homes using wood, coal or dung as their primary cooking fuel.
'Cleaning up the air we breathe prevents noncommunicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly,' says Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General Family, Women and Children's Health.
'Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves,' she said.
First posted March 26, 2014 01:06:11
Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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