TOPLINE
Global rates of death caused by heart conditions, diabetes and obesity due to air pollution significantly increased over the past decade, according to the 2024 World Heart Report, and emissions caused by climate change played a part in exacerbating this.
KEY FACTS
The number of heart condition-related deaths attributed to air pollution between 2010 and 2019 increased in some places by as much as 27%, and almost 70% of the 4.2 million outdoor air pollution-related deaths in 2019 were from heart conditions, according to a report published Saturday by the World Heart Federation.
There were 900,000 air pollution-related stroke deaths in 2019, and almost 2 million people died from air pollution-related coronary heart disease, an increase of between 20% and 27% compared to 2010 in every World Health Organization region except for in the Americas (increased by 2.4%) and Europe (decreased by 19.2%).
Global particulate matter concentration—tiny air particles that can be detrimental to health when they enter the body—declined by 1% annually between 2010 and 2019, but were still over six times the recommended amount set by the World Health Organization.
Only 14% of countries experienced a large decline in particulate matter during this time period, with mostly European countries seeing the largest decreases (between 25% and 35%), while Angola, Cape Verde, Liberia, Palau and Sierra Leone had the largest increases.
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Previous research has shown air pollution has a negative effect on obesity and diabetes, and because many people with these diseases also have heart conditions, air pollution’s effects on these groups may be indirectly causing significant increases in death, according to the report.
WHAT CAUSES AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution consists of dangerous materials from both natural and human-made sources. Several things cause it, including vehicle emissions, fumes from chemical productions, gas that heats homes and byproducts from manufacturing power productions, which are among the main sources of human-caused air pollution, according to the National Institutes of Health. Naturally occurring hazardous substances include smoke from wildfires, ash from volcanoes and gases like methane, which come from decomposing organic matter in the soil.
HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT AIR POLLUTION?
Climate change and air pollution are interlinked because they both worsen each other, according to the report. Climate-related weather changes cause increases in particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which is a harmful gas and the main ingredient in smog. Climate change can cause an increase in weather events like wildfires and dust storms, increasing the release of dangerous particulate matter and worsening health conditions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These increases in outdoor air pollution can worsen inside air quality, since they can enter homes and buildings through open doors and ventilation systems. Black carbon, one of the main elements of fine particulate matter, is one of the largest contributors to global warming after carbon dioxide. It is a heat-absorbing chemical, so it absorbs light and warms the Earth’s atmosphere, thus leading to the melting of ice and snow.
SURPRISING FACT
Household air pollution contributed to 3.2 million deaths worldwide between 2010 and 2019, a similar figure to the amount of deaths related to outdoor air pollution, according to the report. Low- or middle-income countries experienced most of these deaths due to lack of access to electricity and gas cooking. Over 2 billion worldwide still rely on polluting fuels like coal, wood, charcoal and crop waste for everyday survival.
KEY BACKGROUND
Heart disease was the leading cause of death worldwide—and in the U.S.—followed by stroke in 2019, according to the WHO. One in three Americans has heart or blood vessel disease, and heart disease deaths typically affect people 65 years and older, according to the EPA. Those who are the most susceptible to fine particulate matter include older adults, those with obesity, diabetics, non-white people, those with underlying conditions and people of low economic status. Short-term exposure to air pollution can cause an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and irregular heartbeat, while long-term exposure increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and death. Although reduction in air pollution emissions should be the top priority, the World Heart Federation believes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber and protein; supplements like omega-fatty acids; and the use of medication for people with heart disease that have unavoidably high exposure to air pollution can help prevent the cardiovascular effects of air pollution.
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