New Delhi: Amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital, doctors have highlighted that air pollution, beyond its known impact on respiratory and cardiovascular health, can also contribute to weight gain, obesity, and hormonal disturbances.
On Friday morning, Delhi-NCR's air quality was categorized as ‘very poor,’ with a smoggy haze blanketing the region. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 371 by 7:15 a.m. In several areas, AQI levels surpassed 400, peaking between 410 and 426 in Anand Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Nehru Nagar, Shadipur, and Wazirpur.
Experts explained that air pollutants can disrupt metabolism, trigger systemic inflammation, and lead to hormonal imbalances.
Air pollution has been found to increase insulin resistance, a key factor in obesity. Recent studies have also found that prolonged exposure to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide may contribute to systemic inflammation and metabolic disturbances.
“Air pollution can affect weight gain by altering metabolism and can also affect hormonal health. Air pollution causes metabolic disorders that can lead to weight gain. It can also cause inflammation which leads to obesity,” Dr. Shailly Sharma, Senior Consultant and Associate Director, Obstetrician and gynecologist, at Cloudnine Hospital, told IANS.
In July, a meta-analysis published in BMC Public Health linked air pollution to changes in metabolic function, attributing it to inflammation in fat tissues, oxidative stress, and altered dietary habits. The analysis emphasized that toxic air not only disrupts breathing pathways but also impacts immune function, elevating inflammation markers and oxidative stress levels.
Dr. Vikas Mittal, Pulmonologist and Director of Respiratory Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, pointed out that while evidence suggests air pollution affects metabolism, the mechanisms remain unclear. "Pollutants irritate airways, triggering inflammatory responses that release markers affecting various organs. These changes alter the hormonal milieu and can worsen conditions like high cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes—hallmarks of metabolic syndrome," Dr. Mittal explained.
Furthermore, studies indicate that long-term exposure to pollutants may interfere with hormonal balance, reducing fertility and conception rates. Pollutants have been linked to disruptions in reproductive hormones, underscoring the wide-ranging health consequences of air pollution.
As Delhi-NCR residents face persistent air quality challenges, experts urge heightened awareness of the broader health impacts of pollution, beyond its respiratory and cardiovascular effects.