World Lung Day 2025: Doctors warn why women, kids are more at risk of lung damage due to polluted air

Causes of lung damage in women: Urban women breathe polluted air, and are subjected to passive smoke at home and work. Despite never smoking, many women suffer from chronic cough, asthma, and early COPD (Image: Pexels)

Lung health is no longer a concern just for smokers or the elderly, doctors warn. Across India, children, women, and young adults living in polluted urban and rural areas are suffering lifelong damage to their lungs due to dirty air, second-hand tobacco smoke, and indoor cooking fuels. Medical experts  stress that lung disease quietly affects not only the body but also mental well-being, calling for early and regular lung screening to become as routine as blood tests.

Impact on Children

Children breathe faster, which means they inhale more smoke and polluted air, Dr Prabhat Ranjan Sinha, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Aakash Healthcare, Delhi, tells Moneycontrol. He shares that second-hand smoke, crop residue burning, and urban pollution directly inhibit lung growth in youngsters.

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A 2024 study published in the Medical Journal Armed Forces India compared youngsters in Delhi NCR with those in Pauri Garhwal and found lung function was 12–17 percent lower in Delhi’s young population. “Early exposure leaves a mark for life. We’re also seeing cases of COPD in young adults who have never smoked but have grown up in polluted environments,” Dr Prabhat warns.

Mental Health Connections

Lung disease is not just a physical problem, says Dr Manav Manchanda, Director and Head of Respiratory, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine,  Asian Hospital, Delhi. “Conditions like COPD cause constant fatigue and breathlessness, leading to dependence on others and affecting mental health.”

He adds that anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal often follow when patients struggle with everyday tasks like climbing stairs or sleeping properly. “Lung health and mental health go hand in hand, so treatment must address both,” he stresses.

In rural India, women, especially homemakers, are vulnerable due to indoor smoke from cooking with wood, coal, or cow dung. Dr Sushrut Ganpule, Consultant,  Chest Medicine,  Jupiter Hospital, Delhi, says this exposure equals smoking multiple cigarettes a day. “Urban women, meanwhile, breathe polluted air, and passive smoke at home and work. Despite never smoking, many women suffer from chronic cough, asthma, and early COPD. Their lung health suffers silently,” Dr Ganpule explains.

Importance of Early Detection

“Most lung diseases are silent early on,” says Dr Aakaar Kapoor, CEO and Lead Medical Advisor,  City X-Ray & Scan Clinic, Delhi. “People dismiss breathlessness or chronic cough as age or weakness and only seek help when the disease is advanced.”

Dr Kapoor urges making spirometry, chest X-rays, CT scans, and lung function tests routine after age 30—especially in polluted areas. “Lung check-ups should be as normal as annual blood tests,” he insists.

Prevention tips

Doctors agree that prevention and awareness are as vital as treatment. Cleaner cooking fuels, stricter pollution controls, and widespread lung screening programmes can protect India’s youth from chronic lung diseases. “An average person inhales 11,000 litres of air daily. If the air is toxic, lungs are under constant attack. Protecting lung health must be a national priority,” inform the doctors.

FAQs on the Causes of Lung Damage

1. What are common causes of lung damage in non-smokers?

Non-smokers can suffer lung damage from polluted air, second-hand tobacco smoke, and indoor cooking fuels, especially in urban and rural areas.

2. How does air pollution affect children’s lungs?

Children inhale more polluted air due to faster breathing rates, which directly inhibits lung growth and can cause lifelong damage, including early COPD.

3. Can lung disease impact mental health?

Yes, conditions like COPD lead to constant fatigue and breathlessness, resulting in anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal due to dependence on others for routine tasks.

4. Why are women in rural areas particularly vulnerable to lung damage?

Rural women, especially homemakers, are exposed to indoor smoke from cooking with wood, coal, or cow dung, which equals smoking multiple cigarettes a day, causing chronic lung issues.

5. How can early detection help prevent severe lung diseases?

Early screening with spirometry, chest X-rays, CT scans, and lung function tests can detect silent lung diseases before they advance, making routine check-ups crucial, especially in polluted areas.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for a specific health diagnosis.