PM2.5 Pollution Elevates the Threat of Diabetes in Urban India
PM2.5 particles, which are 30 times thinner than a strand of hair, can enter the bloodstream and cause a variety of respiratory and cardiovascular problems when inhaled. The research is part of an ongoing project in India that began in 2010. It is the first research to investigate the link between exposure to ambient PM2.5 and type 2 diabetes in India, one of the world's most polluted countries.
According to the study, the average yearly PM2.5 levels in Delhi were 82-100g/m3 and in Chennai were 30-40g/m3, much exceeding the WHO limit of 5g/m3 (2). The national air quality standard in India is 40 g/m3 (3). , India has a high burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease; 11.4% of the population - 101 million people - has diabetes, and around 136 mi...