Health
35% of school children in India suffer from
poor lung health5
Air pollution and you
Air pollution is anything you breathe in that damages the cells in your body. It doesn’t just affect your lungs – it also affects other vital organs such as your heart and brain.6
Health authorities are most worried about fine particulate matter (PM2.5), one of the major causes of ill health and deaths worldwide.6
The impact of air pollution can affect us all at every stage of life – from womb right through to old age.6 Sometimes the damage to our health can’t be seen for a long time, years in fact, so prevention and personal protection is key.
One in nine people die as a direct result of air pollution, that’s an estimated 6.5 million premature deaths every year.2
At risk groups6
Some groups are at a higher risk to the health damage from air pollution. These include:- unborn babies
- children
- people with existing medical conditions
Pregnancy and maternal health6
Pregnant women and their unborn babies are at high risk of the effects of air pollution as the placenta does not fully protect the baby from harmful substances, such as heavy metals and fine particles (PM2.5 and smaller). Exposure to pollution can slow the growth of different organs and tissues, which can lead to permanent damage and low birth weight.
Children6
Babies and children are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of pollutants because they are growing and their lungs, hearts, immune systems and brains are still developing. Air pollution may affect a child’s physical and behavioral development.
Inside your body
Short term exposure (few hours to days) can cause:6,7
- Headache
- Burning eyes
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing
- Increased risk of asthma exacerbation
- Increased risk of heart attacks in people with heart conditions
Long term exposure can lead to:6,9
- Heart disease and strokes
- Respiratory disease such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), coughs and wheezes
- Worsening of pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory disease
- Reduced lung function
- Lung cancer
- Diabetes and hypertension
- Cognitive impairment
- Alzheimer’s & dementia
- Autism
- Premature birth
- Birth defects including cleft palate
Existing medical conditions6
A number of illnesses are made worse by pollution:
- Triggering symptoms of respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD and lung cancer
- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally8 and air pollutants can trigger heart attacks and cause irregular heart rhythms particularly in people already at risk9
When pollution levels are high, there is an increased risk to you and your family’s health, so personal protection is a must.
DETTOL SiTi SHIELD helps you to understand your individual environment and take preventative action against the specific pollution threats you are exposed to.
