Abstract
Our environment is the natural surroundings we exist in relation to the weather condition. Air pollution, global warming and climate change are interrelated causing weather changes. 70% of environmental pollution is from air pollution and 70% of non-communicable diseases are from air pollution. The earliest onset non communicable environmental diseases are airway allergic diseases in particular asthma with significant psycho-socio economic burden.[1,2]
The reason for the increase in allergic diseases, in particular asthma is an imbalance in our environment. Firstly, we are losing the threshold of our protection by depriving the protective germs in our environment, changing our traditional food habits and adopting the western lifestyle in living, Secondly from higher exposure to triggers- air pollution, global warming and climate change, increase in viral respiratory infections and less access to health care facilities.[3]
The recent World Health Organisation (W.H.O) report in May 2024 says that asthma is affected nearly 262 million people with mortality of 4,55,000 in the year 2019. It is observed more in lower- and middle-income countries and under diagnosis with undertreatment are the cause. Air pollution is the important risk factor for asthma hence it is included in the W.H.O. global action plan to prevent and control with United Nations by 2030.[4]
In this article we tend to highlight the environmental risk factors that influence the allergic diseases and its comorbidities in relation to air pollution, temperature change and sunlight; change in humidity and seasons; thunderstorm; draught; occupation; artificial bright light and sensitize on the measures to mitigate airway allergies.