Indian doctors and health experts are calling on the government to implement policies to address air pollution. They believe that air pollution is a key factor in accelerating the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease that can lead to a loss of cognitive abilities and, ultimately, death. There are over 55 million people worldwide with dementia, with at least 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. Nearly 10 million new cases are reported each year.
On World Alzheimer's Day, Alzheimer's Disease International released a report titled "Reducing the Risk of Dementia: It's Never Too Late, It's Never Too Early." The report brings together insights from around 90 researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, people living with dementia, and informal caregivers.
The report highlights that while research suggests that individuals may develop dementia decades before symptoms appear, reducing exposure to dementia risk factors can delay, slow down, or even prevent projected dementia cases. The report emphasizes several factors associated with dementia risk, including lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and hearing loss.
Air pollution is stressed as a key point in the report, as it is linked to a higher dementia risk. The report points out that fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is one of the hazardous factors. This refers to the finest dust and other harmful particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers, which can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Professor Roxana Carare from the University of Southampton explains that the soluble components of these particles enter the bloodstream and affect the blood vessel walls, impairing their ability to clear waste from the brain. This explains why air pollution is associated with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
This report is particularly concerning for India. According to the World Air Quality Report released by IQAir in March, India has 39 of the world's most polluted cities, with New Delhi being the most polluted capital globally, exceeding safe limits. Last year, the average PM 2.5 level in New Delhi was 99.71 micrograms per cubic meter, while the World Health Organization considers 5 micrograms per cubic meter as safe for particulate pollution.
According to Alzheimer's Disease International, there are currently over 3.8 million people with dementia in India, and this number is projected to rise to 11.4 million by 2050, an increase of 197%. This is a worrisome trend.
Therefore, doctors and health experts urge the Indian government to take action and formulate effective policies to address the issue of air pollution. Only by reducing air pollution can the risk of health problems like dementia be lowered.