We are all used to modern commodities and luxuries and often turn a blind eye to the repercussions these are having on our health. Medical student Gianluca Fava takes a look at the effect of modern lifestyles on the air we breathe and how we breathe.

Man-made pollutants, including vehicle exhaust fumes and soot from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels in power plants, are a necessary evil if we want to keep our iPhones powered and car engines running. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiMan-made pollutants, including vehicle exhaust fumes and soot from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels in power plants, are a necessary evil if we want to keep our iPhones powered and car engines running. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries has long been regarded as a pivotal period in the history of modern man. The innovations in manufacturing and transportation that were made at the time paved the way for a relentless chain of events culminating in the modern way of life.

It is safe to say that almost all aspects of the human experience and the natural environment have been affected by this momentous event in some way or another. Few would have been those who possessed an imagination vast enough to conceive the comparatively lavish lifestyle that we would be leading today, 250 years later. However, luxuries and comforts do not come without their price. Unfortunately, modern lifestyles have also left their mark on the air we breathe and how we breathe it.

Air is a simple mixture of gases, the most abundant of which is by far nitrogen (78 per cent), followed by oxygen (21 per cent), argon (0.96 per cent), carbon dioxide (0.04 per cent) and a variable amount of water vapour, as well as trace amounts of several others. Additionally, air contains other materials that are said to pollute it. However, it is important to keep in mind that in actual fact a considerable number of these so-called pollutants find their origin in natural sources.

Things like volcanic ash and gases, smoke from wildfires, ozone, pollen, dust and dander are all natural pollutants but, over the course of time, humans have gradually adapted to them. Notwithstanding, some of us still suffer from their effects, especially the latter three which are infamous for being the offenders in hypersensitivity reactions, more commonly referred to as allergies. In susceptible individuals, these can irritate the nasal passages and cause hay fever or even trigger an asthma attack if the airways are affected.

On the other hand, there are also pollutants that are generated as a direct result of human activities. Man-made pollutants include vehicle exhaust fumes and soot from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels in power plants. Unfortunately, these are a necessary evil if we want to keep our iPhones powered and car engines running, so much so that we often turn a blind eye on the dire consequences they bring about.

Exposure to Particulate Matter 10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less) is nowadays recognised as a major concern to human health because of its ability to penetrate deep into the lower regions of the human respiratory tract. Some of its ill effects include breathing problems due to lung tissue damage, asthma exacerbations and increased cancer rates. People with asthma or chronic lung disease, the elderly and children are particularly sensitive to the effects of PM-10, especially the latter since PM-10 is associated with retarded lung development in young children.

Obviously, when discussing such a topic one cannot omit cigarette smoking. According to the Lifestyle Survey 2007, carried out by the NSO, 26.2 per cent of the Maltese population smokes. Apart from increasing the risk of developing respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer, smoking also elevates the risk of developing cardiovascular disease with all of its implications which include coronary artery disease among others.

Exposure to Particulate Matter 10 is nowadays recognised as a major concern to human health because of its ability to penetrate deep into the lower regions of the human respiratory tract

This has stern repercussions on the national health system which has to allocate funds for treating and managing otherwise preventable conditions. The phenomena of second- and third-hand smoke are nowadays also being given their due importance, which is why smoking in enclosed public premises in Malta is banned under the Tobacco Control Act and Legal Notice 414 of 2004.

We must also factor in exercising and dietary habits in order to obtain a clearer picture vis-à-vis respiratory health. A recent study published in The Lancet medical journal shows that 74 per cent of adult Maltese men and 58 per cent of adult Maltese women are overweight or obese.

In this swift moving world, people tend to lead fast-paced lives with little time for recreation, let alone exercise. After a long day at the office and driving around half the country running errands, most of us would rather spend our evenings sitting comfortably on the sofa watching our favourite TV show with snacks in hand than go for a 30-minute jog. This sedentary lifestyle, coupled with poor dietary choices, often leads to weight gain and eventually obesity and associated conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Ten-minute chunks of moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise such as running, cycling and swimming for a total of two-and-a-half hours per week provides significant improvements to our respiratory and cardiovascular fitness, general circulation and weight management.

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