Varanasi: Increasing modernization and changes in lifestyle give rise to asthma. Air pollution is also a major cause that triggers it, medical experts said on the occasion of World Asthma Day on Tuesday.
The day is observed on the first Tuesday of May. It is an annual event organized by Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve awareness around the world. This year's theme is 'You can control your asthma.'
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from September 2015 to January 2016, Varanasi has air quality indices (AQI) value of 409, making it one of the most polluted cities in the country.
Changes in lifestyle, junk food and increase in pollution are responsible for asthma. Air pollution has emerged as one of the triggering factors and principal pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen, ozone and particulates are posing detrimental effects on human lungs which are constantly being exposed to chemicals released from vehicle exhausts, national secretary of Indian Chest Society and head of department of respiratory diseases, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), J K Samaria said.
A study pointed out that babies born to mothers exposed to air pollution during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing asthma.
Hence, it can be said that exposure to air pollution increases risk of developing asthma in children.
Meanwhile, TOI caught up with a few early morning joggers who admitted to have developed breathing problems due to increasing air pollution.
"My uncle recently complained of breathing problems and was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with asthma. It was surprising as he had never suffered from the disease and was very conscious about his health," a jogger at Sampurnanand Sports Stadium in Sigra said.
