New Delhi. A Lancet study has revealed a shocking thing about air pollution. The study has found that air pollution is the biggest risk factor for brain stroke, just like smoking. A Lancet study found that small solid and liquid particles present in the air are harmful for brain stroke, the risk of which is equal to smoking. The study, led by an international team of researchers from India, the US, New Zealand, Brazil and the UAE, showed that air pollution contributed 14 percent to the rate of death and disability caused by this serious stroke, similar to smoking.
The study found that air pollution, high temperatures as well as metabolic disorders have caused an increase in global stroke cases and deaths over the past three decades. In 2021, the number of people suffering from new strokes worldwide has increased to more than 10 million, a 70 percent increase since 1990. Apart from this, more than 7 million people have died from stroke since 1990, an increase of 44 percent. The study found that 23 risk factors responsible for stroke have been identified in the year 2021. It has revealed five major global risk causes for stroke, including high systolic blood pressure, particulate matter air pollution, smoking, high LDL cholesterol and household air pollution.
Dr. Katherine O. Johnson, chief research scientist and co-author at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, said 84 percent of the leading causes of stroke are due to 23 modifiable risks, so there are many opportunities to reduce the risk of stroke for the new generation. Air pollution is inextricably linked to temperature and climate change. The importance of urgent climate action and measures to reduce air pollution cannot be underestimated. He said stroke is now the third leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease and COVID-19, so there is a need to focus on obesity and metabolic disorders. He has also called for measures such as clean air zones and public smoking bans. The study also found that disability, disease and premature death due to stroke worldwide increased by 32 percent between 1990 and 2021.