Health and Me

Ishita Roy

British Man Compares Breathing In Delhi To Smoking 18 Cigarettes

"So, I am in New Delhi, India, and the air quality is over 750. It is the equivalent of smoking 18 cigarettes a day," says Alex, a British travel vlogger in a video uploaded seven days ago on Instagram. He calls the current situation in health a public health emergency. In the video, he walks around the city wearing an N-95 mask and says, "It is super sad. I cannot even see 50 meters in front of me. That is how bad the air quality is in Delhi."

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/breathing-delhis-toxic-air-is-like-smoking-20-cigarettes-a-day-according-to-pulmonologist-article-153168718" data-type="tilCustomLink">Breathing Delhi's Toxic Air Is Like Smoking 20 Cigarettes A Day, According To Pulmonologist</a>

As of Monday 7am, the city's average AQI remains under the "very poor" category, with the reading of 366 as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Seven areas slip under the 'severe' zone, with Narela recording the worst AQI of 418. 

As per the CPCB, AQI between 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is satisfactory, 101 to 200 is moderate, 201 to 300 is poor, 301 to 400 is very poor and 401 to 500 is severe.

<h2>Impact Of Toxic Air On Its Population</h2>

Not just Delhi, but several other metro cities too have recorded a worsening in its air quality levels, in this backdrop, a <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/flu-cases-in-us-reach-5-million-mark-reveals-cdc-data-article-153328584" data-type="tilCustomLink">Lancet </a> study revealed that due to long-term <span>air pollution</span> exposure in India, every year, 1.5 million deaths occur. The study noted that every 10μg/m³ increase in annual PM2·5 concentration was associated with an 8.6 pc higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Using India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, researchers estimate that about 3.8 million deaths between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 exposure. When WHO guidelines were applied, the number rose sharply to 16.6 million, nearly one-fourth of all deaths in the country. The analysis relied on advanced causal methods and high-resolution models that mapped district-level PM2.5 exposure across India, while accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, age distribution, and indoor air pollution.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/no-direct-link-between-lung-disease-and-air-pollution-says-minister-but-studies-say-something-else-article-153321768" data-type="tilCustomLink">'No Direct Link Between Lung Disease And Air Pollution,' Says Minister; But Studies Say Something Else</a>

These findings are backed by a 2017 time-series study from Delhi that examined the short-term impact of air pollution on deaths from natural causes. The researchers pointed out that studies worldwide have consistently shown a clear link between common urban air pollutants and harmful health effects. Despite Delhi’s well-documented air quality crisis, they noted that limited local evidence on how specific pollutants affect health had long slowed meaningful policy action.

Furthermore, several other studies also reveal the impact of toxic air on different organs of the body, including lungs causing respiratory illness, as well as increasing the risk of dysmenorrhea in women. 

A study published in <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/is-delhis-toxic-air-making-your-period-cramps-more-painful-heres-what-study-says-article-153316825" data-type="tilCustomLink">Frontiers </a> in Public Health, explored the data of 2,96,078 women and girls between the age of 16 to 55 years in Taiwan and correlated it with the long-term air pollution data between 2000 and 2013. None of these women had any history of dysmenorrhea before the survey had began. 

Another 2017 study titled Pulmonary Health Effects of Air Pollution, it is clear that <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/lung-cancer-no-longer-a-smokers-disease-its-a-breather-disease-story-of-a-31-year-old-non-smoker-ncr-woman-who-had-stage-2-lung-cancer-article-153124821" data-type="tilCustomLink">lung cancer</a> could be exacerbated due to exposure to a variety of environmental air pollutants with greatest effects due to particulate matter (PM), ozone, and nitrogen oxides.

<h2>Delhi's Toxic Air Should Concern All</h2>

As of now, the air that we breathe in Delhi contains the same chemicals that are present in a cigarette. These chemicals include carbon monoxide, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, and benzopyrene.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/simple-blood-tests-detecting-multiple-cancer-do-they-really-work-article-153328741" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Simple Blood Tests Detecting Multiple Cancer; Do They Really Work?</a>

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"So, I am in New Delhi, India, and the air quality is over 750. It is the equivalent of smoking 18 cigarettes a day," says Alex, a British travel vlogger in a video uploaded seven days ago on Instagram. He calls the current situation in health a public health emergency. In the video, he walks around the city wearing an N-95 mask and says, "It is super sad. I cannot even see 50 meters in front of me. That is how bad the air quality is in Delhi."Read: Breathing Delhi's Toxic Air Is Like Smoking 20 Cigarettes A Day, According To PulmonologistAs of Monday 7am, the city's average AQI remains under the "very poor" category, with the reading of 366 as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Seven areas slip under the 'severe' zone, with Narela recording the worst AQI of 418. As per the CPCB, AQI between 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is satisfactory, 101 to 200 is moderate, 201 to 300 is poor, 301 to 400 is very poor and 401 to 500 is severe.            View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Alex Wanders (@alexwandersyt)]]>Impact Of Toxic Air On Its PopulationNot just Delhi, but several other metro cities too have recorded a worsening in its air quality levels, in this backdrop, a Lancet  study revealed that due to long-term air pollution exposure in India, every year, 1.5 million deaths occur. The study noted that every 10μg/m³ increase in annual PM2·5 concentration was associated with an 8.6 pc higher risk of all-cause mortality.Using India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, researchers estimate that about 3.8 million deaths between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 exposure. When WHO guidelines were applied, the number rose sharply to 16.6 million, nearly one-fourth of all deaths in the country. The analysis relied on advanced causal methods and high-resolution models that mapped district-level PM2.5 exposure across India, while accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, age distribution, and indoor air pollution.Also Read: 'No Direct Link Between Lung Disease And Air Pollution,' Says Minister; But Studies Say Something ElseThese findings are backed by a 2017 time-series study from Delhi that examined the short-term impact of air pollution on deaths from natural causes. The researchers pointed out that studies worldwide have consistently shown a clear link between common urban air pollutants and harmful health effects. Despite Delhi’s well-documented air quality crisis, they noted that limited local evidence on how specific pollutants affect health had long slowed meaningful policy action.Furthermore, several other studies also reveal the impact of toxic air on different organs of the body, including lungs causing respiratory illness, as well as increasing the risk of dysmenorrhea in women. A study published in Frontiers  in Public Health, explored the data of 2,96,078 women and girls between the age of 16 to 55 years in Taiwan and correlated it with the long-term air pollution data between 2000 and 2013. None of these women had any history of dysmenorrhea before the survey had began. Another 2017 study titled Pulmonary Health Effects of Air Pollution, it is clear that lung cancer could be exacerbated due to exposure to a variety of environmental air pollutants with greatest effects due to particulate matter (PM), ozone, and nitrogen oxides.Delhi's Toxic Air Should Concern AllAs of now, the air that we breathe in Delhi contains the same chemicals that are present in a cigarette. These chemicals include carbon monoxide, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, and benzopyrene.Also Read: Simple Blood Tests Detecting Multiple Cancer; Do They Really Work?