In 2008, the Chittranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) in Kolkata published the results from a study examining the health of lung function among school children, aged 4-17, in Delhi. To test whether children in Delhi fared worse than those outside of the city, the study compared 11,628 children from different parts of Delhi to 4,536 children in rural West Bengal and rural Uttaranchal—notably less polluted areas—over the course of 3 years.

Children are thought to be particularly susceptible to air pollution. They have higher oxygen demands then adults, leading to higher respiration rates. Their airways are also smaller than those of adults, so they are more likely to get inflammation due to air pollution. And because their immunity is still building up, they are more prone to illnesses from pollution than adults. If they are exposed to chronic pollution, children may develop lung damage into adult life.

The results from the study, summarized below, indicate that Delhi children show significantly worse outcomes for respiratory health and lung function compared to those in the control group. Children from lower socioeconomic groups usually fare worse because they have higher exposure to outdoor and indoor pollutants. The study further stated that children spend 2/3 of their time indoors, meaning air quality at schools and homes have a significant impact on health.

Many of the solutions to improve health outcomes for Delhi’s children necessitate policy changes — ensuring that schools are built far away from polluting sources, stricter monitoring of polluting sources, and better access to health services, to name a few. But ensuring kids avoid physical activity during high-pollution hours and wear anti-pollution masks whenever possible can help. For clean air indoors, check out Smart Air Filters’ low-cost air purifiers.

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