It has been found that indoor air pollution in the form of smoke emanating from the burning of wood, animal dung and coal is a bigger challenge than high blood pressure for Indians. The study found that household air pollution from the use of solid fuels has risen drastically over the last few years.
Globally, the high blood pressure jumped four spots and become the worst risk factor for causing disease followed by tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, low fruit consumption and a high body fat.
The World Health Organization said that the IAP claimed 5, 00, 000 lives in India every year most of whom were women and children. It was observed by the body that India accounted for nearly 80% of the 6, 00, 000 premature deaths that take place in Southeast Asia every year due to the exposure to IAP. This owes to the fact that 70% of the Indian households do not have ventilation and over 3 billion people depend on solid fuels to prepare meals. It is important to know and understand that the use of solid fuels indoors exposes one to carbon monoxide, benzene, particulates, formaldehyde, etc that may increase the risk of developing pneumonia, blindness, asthma, lung cancer, low birth weight and TB.
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