With air pollution and Air Quality Index (AQI) making the headlines amid the festive season, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has reviewed 184 health studies, spanning over 40 years, to learn the impacts of air pollution in India. Of the reviewed studies, 164, or 91.8 per cent of them, reported at least one adverse health association with air pollution exposure. As many as 44 of 46 government-funded studies and 77 of 81 government-affiliated studies reported adverse health associations, asserted the group.

The CREA stated that the effects of air pollution went beyond respiratory diseases, with cardiovascular diseases, blood disorders, mental and neurocognitive disorders, metabolic disorders, sleep disorders, eye diseases, pregnancy complications, and low birth weight, among others being possible health impacts of very poor air quality. Studies conducted on rural populations showed the connection between adverse health and air quality as well.