The findings of the Million Death Study (MDS), published in the journal Environment Health Perspectives, revealed that exposure to high levels of fine air pollution particles (PM2.5) may have a smaller impact on mortality in India than previously estimated.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India is one of the countries with the highest levels of air pollution in the world, with most people living in areas where fine particulate matter levels (PM2.5) are well above the safety limits.

In the study, the researchers observed an increase of 9% in the risk of death by stroke for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM 2.5 exposure. However, they did not observe an increase in risk for respiratory disease, heart disease, or total mortality (after excluding stroke).

They observed a similar pattern of risk among different age groups and in areas with higher or lower use of household solid fuel, which is a major contributor to PM2.5 exposure as measured by satellites.

However, the researchers asserted that the past estimates of air pollution fatalities in India were based on sophisticated models that projected a far greater mortality risk from exposure to PM2.5. They pointed out that the prior models likely overestimated the number of deaths in India attributable to air pollution.

Thus, they concluded that extrapolating from direct research, such as the Million Death Study (MDS), is significantly superior to extrapolating from models, many of which take findings from non-Indian contexts and apply them to India. 

(Source: https://thehillstimes.in/national/fine-particle-pollution-linked-mortality-in-india-may-be-lower-than-thought-study )