India among most dangerous places in world for lungs

Despite Beijing's reputation as having some of the most polluted air of any major city, data suggest that New Delhi's air is more laden with dangerous small particles of pollution more often than Beijing's. And evidence is mounting that Indians pay a higher price: Indians have the world's weakest lungs. Researchers suspect that India's mix of polluted air, poor sanitation and contaminated water may make the country among the most dangerous in the world for lungs. It has the world's highest death rate because of chronic respiratory diseases, and it has more deaths from asthma than any other nation, the World Health Organization said. At left, Amanat Devi Jain, 4, who her father says breathes normally outside of India, receives twice-daily breathing treatments for asthma in New Delhi. A study found that half of all visits to doctors in India are for respiratory problems.new york times