NEW DELHI: Child and maternal malnutrition continues to be the biggest health hazard in India since 1990, while deteriorating air quality came a close second, according to a recent report in one of the world's oldest medical journals.The report published in the Lancet journal has found that besides malnutrition and rising air pollution, dietary risks, high systolic blood pressure and diabetes were other major risk factors in India in 2016. In 1990 COPD was ranked 13 among leading causes of illness and lost life years. But this has now shot up to rank 3.Similarly, Ischaemic heart disease that is greatly influenced by air pollution has gone up from rank 5 to number 1, diabetes from rank 22 to rank 5 and stroke from rank 16 to rank 15." The use of solid fuels, a major contributor to air pollution is also higher in these states. India remains one of the worst affected countries where 1.9 million premature deaths occur due to deteriorating ambient air quality.

Source: Times of India November 14, 2017 20:37 UTC