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Air Pollution (IANS) — Air Pollution
(IANS)

Amidst rising air pollution and diabetes cases in India, a comprehensive study has identified poor air quality as a significant risk factor for developing diabetes in the country. Previously, dietary choices, obesity, and physical activity were the primary factors contributing to the increased prevalence of diabetes. However, the study, published in the 'British Medical Journal' (BMJ), demonstrates that inhaling polluted air with high levels of PM2.5 particles leads to elevated blood sugar levels and a higher incidence of Type-2 diabetes.

This research investigated the connections between ambient PM2.5 levels and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and the occurrence of Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in 12,064 participants from urban Chennai and Delhi.

The results revealed that for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in the annual average PM2.5 levels in the two cities, the risk of diabetes increased by 22 per cent.

Dr. Siddhartha Mandal, the corresponding author from the Centre for Chronic Disease Control in New Delhi, stated, "We observed that a 10 microgram per cubic meter difference in monthly average exposure to PM2.5 was associated with a 0.40 mg/dL increase in FPG and a 0.021 unit increase in HbA1c. Furthermore, a 10 microgram per cubic meter difference in annual average PM2.5 was associated with 1.22 times increased risk of incident T2DM, with a non-linear exposure-response."

These findings are alarming, given that India is already grappling with a high diabetes burden while contending with escalating pollution levels.

A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research titled "INdia DIABetes" reveals that one-tenth of all Indians have diabetes.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR has remained in the "very poor" category for six consecutive days. On Thursday, the AQI reached 351 at 10 am in the national capital.

In neighbouring Noida, the AQI soared to 437, reached a staggering 469 in Greater Noida, and recorded 395 in Gurugram.

Although previous research had established an association between exposure to fine particulate matter and various cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases, most of these studies were conducted in low-pollution settings, such as the US or European countries.

This new study provides evidence from regions with high air pollution levels, such as India, where the burden of non-communicable diseases is substantial.

Dr. Mandal emphasised, "We observed evidence of a temporal association between PM2.5 exposure, higher FPG, and incident T2DM in two urban environments in India, highlighting the potential for population-based mitigation policies to reduce the growing diabetes burden. Increased diabetes risk was observed in both cities against long-term exposure to PM2.5, with the largest effects observed at 2 years and 1.5 years in Chennai and Delhi, respectively.

The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.

POLLUTION

New Study Reveals Alarming Link Between Poor Air Quality and Surging Type-2 Diabetes Cases in India