Known for being a pioneer in the anti-aging technology, millionaire Bryan Johnson calls out the poor air quality in India and how it is a threat to health and longevity of people in the country. He posted about this previously as well on other social media platforms like X, recalling his first time in India. His post on X speaks about the declining AQI of the country as the numbers keep climbing higher and higher as years go by. “I was shocked by how normalized Indians are to poor air quality. Breathing the air is like smoking multiple cigarettes a day. Yet no one wears a mask or has air filters in their indoor environments.” People In India Are Used To Terrible Living Conditions Bryan, who is famous for trying to reverse aging with special diets and treatments, said that clean air is the most important thing for being healthy. He wondered how people are supposed to focus on being well when the air they breathe is dangerous. Johnson said that the bad air quality was one of their biggest worries about coming to India. He thinks India might have the worst air in the world right now and is surprised that people aren't wearing masks. He said the air feels "awful," like being in the middle of a fire. Why Does India Need To Prioritize Improving Air Quality? The poor air quality in India even directly impacted Bryan Johnson's activities during his visit. While he was in Mumbai in February, the air in the room where he was recording a podcast with Nikhil Kamath, a co-founder of a company called Zerodha, was so bad that he had to leave. He later explained that the room was circulating the polluted outdoor air, which made his personal air purifier useless. He also noted that his body reacted negatively, developing a rash and a sore throat after just three days of being in the city, further illustrating the immediate health effects of the pollution. Delhi's Air is Terribly Polluted Compared to Safe Levels According to a report from Clean Air Fund, the capital city of India, New Delhi, has the unfortunate title of being the most polluted capital city across the entire globe. The levels of very small and harmful particles in the air, known as PM2.5, are nearly ten times higher than the safety limits recommended by the World Health Organization. Has The Air Quality Here Gotten Worse? The AQI is measured on a scale of 0 to 500 with air quality from 0 to 50 considered "good," 51 to 100 - "okay," 101 to 200 - "not good for sensitive people," 201 to 300 - "poor," 301 to 400 - "very poor," and 301 to 500 - "severe". An AQI in the highest range means it's a health emergency for everyone. Recently, the air quality in Delhi got worse again. After being at a "moderate" level last week, it went back to being "poor" again. How Does Prolonged Exposure To Pollution Affect Our Health? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breathing polluted air increases our risk of dying from all sorts of causes and also leads to specific illnesses. The diseases that scientists have most strongly linked to air pollution include strokes, heart problems, long-term lung diseases, lung cancer, pneumonia, and even cataracts but this is mostly from pollution inside homes. There's also some evidence suggesting that air pollution might increase the risk of problems during pregnancy like babies being born too small or too early, other types of cancer, diabetes, problems with thinking, and diseases of the brain and nerves. It is important to take necessary precaution like wearing masks outside, having air purifiers and reducing any plans to travel on days when AQI is severe.